Trenchless technology is the newest and most significant trend in drain line repairs and replacements. However, given the new name on the scene, many people still need clarification about this no-dig technology.
Worry not! Drain Magic is here to flush those lingering questions away.
This article explores everything there is to know about trenchless technology. We’ll cover what it is, how it works and the benefits of choosing the trenchless approach over conventional solutions.
What Exactly is Trenchless Technology?
Trenchless technology takes its name from the root word “trench,” which means long and narrow ditches or excavations. Conventional drain repairs are famous for digging trenches to give plumbers manual access to the damaged pipes. But as the name suggests, trenchless technology is the exact opposite of the messy techniques used in traditional drain repairs.
So what exactly is trenchless technology?
Trenchless technology is an underground drain repair technique requiring little to no trenches at the street level. Using modern materials and remote robotics, plumbers can repair, replace or re-line pipes with minimal aboveground damage. As a result, you skip all the gnarly holes, property damage and public disturbance caused by traditional drain repairs.
How Does Trenchless Technology Work?
“Okay, okay, this trenchless technology sounds promising. So how does it work?“
Trenchless technology methods vary depending on the equipment available to a company, but the principle is similar across the board.
Instead of digging a hole and disturbing traffic, vegetation, and concrete pavements, you access the damage through a small hole. This could either be just outside the building or in the basement.
We deploy an infrared-equipped scanning robot at Drain Magic to travel the drain’s length and locate the damage. Depending on the issue’s severity, we can repair or even replace the drain line.
For repairs, the machine pulls a polymer membrane inside the pipes, cured to extreme hardness using ultraviolet light. This results in a robust polymer liner within the damaged tubes that can withstand tree roots.
For replacements, the remotely operated robot bores through the drain and bursts the old pipe from within. It then pulls a malleable replacement pipe behind it through the access point (a small hole). This replacement pipe becomes a robust polymer material after UV-light curing.
Our trenchless technique takes the invasive, destructive and unattractive out of drain pipe lining and repairs!
8 Main Benefits of Trenchless Technology
With trenchless technology, homeowners and property managers can enjoy benefits not offered by traditional methods. Here are eight:
Cost-effective
Here’s the thing: sometimes trenchless technology costs higher upfront than traditional practices.
But if you look at it from a holistic perspective, trenchless drain repairs actually cost less in the long run. Think about it.
Without a gnarly hole on your lawn or concrete pavement, you save money from expensive landscaping or hardscaping services. Plus, you eliminate the risk of accidents that can cause personal injuries, leading to lawsuits and claims. Finally, you save yourself from future repairs because we use neither corrosive cast iron pipes nor brittle materials like clay.
Minimal disruption
All it takes to repair drain lines is a small hole outside the property or in the basement. Moreover, there is usually no damage to homes with cleanouts or dedicated access holes to the building’s main drain line. As a result, the community experiences no public disturbance and minimal distraction to home residents.
Environmentally friendly
Trenchless technology uses fewer materials compared to traditional methods of repair. That means you produce less waste throughout the process.
The high-quality, robust polymer material used in trenchless repairs is also more durable than conventional pipes. Drain Magic guarantees our work for life, so we won’t return to homeowners’ abode to repair the same problem. Plus, since it is trenchless, we do not disrupt the property’s natural environment.
Durability
Our robust polymer pipes outclass the materials used for conventional repair methods. For illustration, the polymer becomes as durable as cast-iron pipes after curing but does not corrode like PVC materials.
That is as durable as durable could get!
Increased safety
No hole, no fall.
Trenchless technology prides itself in keeping homeowners property as pristine as possible before and after service. Not only to preserve the environment’s natural beauty but also to protect people from potential injuries.
First of all, giant holes pose a hazard to your family or other unmindful residents within the community. Moreover, traditional drain repair companies usually operate heavy machinery, which can also be dangerous.
Dealing with lawsuits from people harmed by your underground drain repair adds a new layer of headache. Meanwhile, choosing a trenchless approach could have helped you avoid all those possible problems.
Versatility
Trenchless technology allows plumbers to analyze damages without manually accessing the drains. Depending on what the camera sees, techs can burst or re-line the pipes, extending the original pipe’s longevity. Meanwhile, traditional methods offer no options except replacing busted pipes with another.
Increased efficiency
Both trenchless and traditional drain line repair gets the job done— no questions about it.
However, the absence of digging and manual replacement makes the job quicker. Most trenchless companies, like Drain Magic, can complete a drain replacement project in a few hours. Conversely, traditional methods take days to finish, if not weeks!
Improved accessibility
Finally, the most significant benefit of using remote robotics, as observed in trenchless technology, is accessibility. Manually operated robots can access the far reaches of drain lines that humans never could. That means fixing problems becomes significantly easier, not to mention the absence of mess and stress.
Look, we get it.
Trying out new technology is always daunting, drain repair or not. How about we give your drains a FREE second opinion after you have them checked by plumbers?
At Drain Magic, we help homeowners and property managers escape the headaches of destructive drain line repairs. And we guarantee our work— FOR LIFE.
If you need a no-mess drain line solution, call Drain Magic at 717-936-9444 or book an appointment here.