Trenchless pipe repair technology makes it possible to repair almost any broken or cracked pipe without tearing apart floors, ceilings, walls, or yards. But are all CIPP repair methods created equal?

If you’re starting a trenchless repair business, or if you’re adding to your existing plumbing repair company, what’s the best CIPP repair for your business? Well, that depends…

TL;DR

There are two key factors for choosing the best CIPP repair for your business: resin type and curing type.
Different types of resins carry different benefits and drawbacks, from environmental factors to cost.
Ambient curing with vinyl ester resin is the most cost-effective option, while UV-activated resin and light-curing systems are the fastest and most consistent CIPP repair today.

What Factors Determine the Best CIPP Repair Option for Your Business?

Before you invest in CIPP repair systems, weigh these five factors to find out the type of CIPP repair you’ll need for your business.

Cost

Lower overhead can lead to faster profit, but bigger investments provide more flexibility in the types of work you can take on. For example, vinyl ester is the least expensive option for CIPP repairs, but it releases more VOCs and styrene than other options.

Compare this to UV curing systems, and you’ll see much higher investment costs for both equipment and resins. But these systems cure faster and provide more consistent results in colder temperatures, making them worth the cost for some pipe repair businesses.

Speed

Faster curing means more repairs per day, as well as more open doors for time-sensitive repairs in commercial and industrial businesses. When time is less pressing, ambient curing options are more economical, but businesses don’t always have the time to spare.

Climate

Warmer temps? Ambient curing is a perfect solution. Colder temps? You’ll need heat or UV curing to battle the climate and keep curing consistent.

Repair Type

Sewer line repairs are less worrisome for styrene and VOC exposure, but apartment buildings and businesses will want to minimize impact. Low- and no-VOC resins provide better alternatives for CIPP repair businesses serving multifamily or commercial customers.

Access and Ventilation

Many repairs are in small spaces with limited access for equipment, and often with poor ventilation. While some curing methods are safe in outdoor locations, cramped spaces need low-VOC resins and small-profile equipment.

***Read Further: FEAR vs FACT: Health and Environmental Risks of CIPP Repair***

What Are the Differences Between Polyester, Vinyl, and Epoxy Resins for CIPP?

All CIPP pipe relining methods start with resin. This is the material that becomes the lining for the pipe after it cures. There are four types of resin for pipe relining, each with specific benefits and drawbacks.

Polyester Resin: Large-Scale and Municipal Repairs

Key Properties: Inexpensive and relatively easy to work with; requires systems for off-gassing mitigation for safety
Best Use: Large-scale projects, including municipal and industrial repairs

This type of resin is best for large projects, like municipal sewer and drainage systems. Polyester resin is the least expensive option available, making it ideal for large projects. Additionally, this resin can be mixed and added to felt inversion liners off-site, allowing contractors to wet down the liners in a controlled environment before bringing them to the job site.

However, polyester resin tends to shrink during the curing process, so repair technicians need to account for this shrinking when repairing cracked pipes. Polyester resin is also dangerous indoors, as it emits VOCs and carcinogens like styrene while curing.

For outdoor use, or in open spaces, this may be the best CIPP repair resin option in most cases. But if your customer base is mostly residential and indoors, it’s better to look elsewhere.

***T3 Resins: What Makes Our Materials Different from Other Suppliers***

Vinyl Ester Resin: Short-Run Residential Repairs

Key Properties: Simple, inexpensive curing for most CIPP repair needs
Best Use: Residential runs under 50 feet (ideal for California sewer line repairs)

The second resin option, vinyl resin, is actually a combination of polyester and epoxy resin. This particular compound does best in repairs that require high corrosion resistance. Vinyl ester resin runs about the same cost as polyester, but that’s not its only similarity.

Like polyester resin, vinyl ester resin emits VOCs and styrene when heated during the curing process. It also shrinks in the same way as polyester. But, again, for larger projects or projects with specific corrosive conditions, vinyl resin may be the best CIPP repair method for the job.

Epoxy Resin: Long-Run and Commercial Repairs

Key Properties: Two-part resin with fewer VOCs and more curing options
Best Use: Longer-run residential and commercial repairs

Epoxy resin improves on the capabilities of vinyl ester and polyester resins, offering lower VOC emissions and true-to-size curing. But even more significant, epoxy resin cures much more quickly than either of the other resins. Epoxy resin typically consists of a two-part formula that includes a base resin and a hardener, often with multiple time-rated hardener options.

Although it’s more convenient and safer than polyester and vinyl ester resins, epoxy tends to be more expensive, a tradeoff for the convenience of its curing time. Epoxy resin also tends to work better for small-diameter pipes (under 8 inches).

Another issue with epoxy is that the two-component formula can’t be premixed and wet out off-site, since the curing process starts almost immediately after the base and hardener are combined. The wet-out must be done on-site to install the liner before it hardens, although the chenmical process can be slowed with a refrigerated truck or trailer.

UV-Activated Resins: Fast, Consistent Repairs

Key Properties: One-part ultraviolet light-activated resins with almost no VOCs
Best Use: Vertical stacks in multifamily buildings and repairs that need faster or more easily completed curing methods

Single-component epoxy resins are changing how CIPP repairs are done. These resins can be wet-out prior to arriving at the job site, and the excess resin can even be collected and reused later, making it a more economical option than conventional epoxies.

Initial investment can be higher, specifically for the equipment, but UV resins take less than 90 seconds to cure completely, making it possible for crews to perform more jobs per day while maintaining higher quality control at each job site.

Comparing Resin Types:

	COST	CURE TIME	CLIMATE	REPAIR TYPE	VOCs & STYRENE RISK
POLYESTER	💲	🕟🕟🕟	☀️	🏭 🛣️	☣️☣️☣️
VINYL ESTER	💲	🕟🕟🕟	☀️	🏭🛣️🏠	☣️☣️☣️
EPOXY	💲💲	🕟🕟	☀️ ❄️	🛣️ 🏠	☣️☣️
UV	💲💲💲	🕟	☀️ ❄️	🏭🛣️🏠	☣️

Benefits and Drawbacks of Different CIPP Curing Methods

Your best CIPP repair method relies on more than just the resin. Both cost and environment factor into choosing a curing method that fits your business. And with four different methods to choose from, it’s simple to find the one that works best for you.

Ambient Curing

The oldest CIPP curing method is ambient curing, where pressurized air is used to hold the liner in place while the resin cures. It’s a low-cost option that works well in warmer climates. For our California customers, ambient curing is an ideal solution for short-run sewer pipe repairs. But when ambient temperatures drop, ambient curing becomes more difficult.

Advantage: Low cost, simple to use
Disadvantage: Requires warm climates for proper curing
Curing Time: 12-24 hours

Hot Water Curing

Hot water curing involves injecting and circulating heated water into the liner to activate the resin’s chemical process. Hot water curing is better for regions with cooler temperatures through most of the year since it doesn’t require higher ambient temperatures for curing. This method remains common today, since it works with most resin types. Curing times are much shorter, but the process produces wastewater that must be disposed of properly.

Advantage: Faster curing, more flexibility in cooler climates
Disadvantage: Requires proper wastewater disposal and access to water source
Curing Time: 3-8 hours

*What Equipment Do I Need for My CIPP Repair Business?*

Learn about the essential tools for making your CIPP repair business run smoothly, PLUS our experts’ recommendations for your needs.

Steam Curing

Steam curing also utilizes heat as the main curing accelerator, but it requires far less water than hot water curing and typically takes less time. Steam curing is also more viable than hot water curing for pipes with steeper angles. But the high heat has been known to cause occasional blistering in the resin. The blistering can inhibit flow or even compromise the new liner’s integrity.

Advantage: Fast curing in any climate, less wastewater
Disadvantage: Can cause damage to liners if improperly calibrated
Cure Time: 2-4 hours

UV Curing

Both hot water and steam methods are relatively cost-effective, but the heat causes styrene and VOC emissions in vinyl and polyester compounds. But new technology is changing the industry: UV light curing.

In UV curing, a strong ultraviolet light is passed through the resin liner, curing the epoxy almost instantly. In fact, the pipe liners are completely cured in as little as 90 seconds in many cases. There is no need for heat to accelerate the curing process, which means little to no VOC or styrene emissions. It also eliminates the need for water sources at the job site, simplifying the entire process. And UV curing has also been shown to be stronger and more durable than other curing methods.

Advantage: Faster, safer, and stronger curing without water or steam
Disadvantage: Requires specialized equipment
Cure Time: 90 seconds

	ADVANTAGES	DISADVANTAGES	CURE TIME
AMBIENT	Lower cost; simple to use	Requires warmer climates	12-24 hours
HOT WATER	Faster curing; more climate flexibility	Water source required; wastewater disposal is necessary	3-8 hours
STEAM	Climate indifferent; less wastewater	Can cause damage without proper calibration	2-4 hours
UV LIGHT	Faster, safer, and stronger; no need for water	Specialized equipment and materials; more expensive	90 seconds

Final Thoughts: What’s the Best CIPP Repair Method for Your Business?

Let’s narrow down your perfect CIPP repair method to grow your pipe repair business:

Ambient curing with vinyl ester resin is your least expensive option. Minimal equipment investment, less expensive materials, and simple setup.
Heat curing (hot water or steam) work best because of the higher temperatures of the curing method, although UV light curing systems are arguably better in extreme conditions since no heat is required.
Ambient curing is the preferred method for our California customers. Teams can easily adjust resins for smaller temperature changes with different hardener and activator ratios.
UV curing is ideal for time-sensitive repairs, as well as repairs where odor and styrene exposure needs to be avoided (e.g. apartment complexes, office buildings, storefronts). While it’s more expensive than other systems, it provides a consistent cure with fewer VOCs.
UV, hot water, and steam curing work best for commercial and industrial CIPP repairs. These methods speed cure times and limit styrene offgassing, making it safer for the people in the buildings or factories. These methods are also provide more consistent results, especially for long-run repairs (50+ feet).

Why Choose T3 for Your Pipe Lining Supply Needs?

Your pipe lining supply company should be more than just a warehouse and shipping department. When you partner with a family-centered business like T3, you’re getting more than just competitive pricing. You’re getting a team of experts that supports your business from end to end:

Custom-built equipment for any CIPP repair need
Third-party benchmarked resins and hardeners so you know what to expect every time
Fast fulfillment, including emergency deliveries for customers near our physical locations in Cerritos, CA, and Springfield, MO
Customized training programs that meet your team instead of cookie-cutter courses
24/7 LIVE bilingual support—no recorded answering systems

Reach out today to find out how our experts can help you build a successful CIPP business!

Talk with our experts

What’s the Best CIPP Repair for Your Business? (Resins and Curing Compared)