Skip to content 
Hearing that you have a major problem with your main sewer line is some of the worst news a homeowner can get, and might require a less intrusive approach like a trenchless sewer repair. The immediate thought is often of disastrous sewage backups inside your home, followed quickly by the dreadful image of a backhoe digging a destructive trench through your yard. For decades, this messy excavation was the only way to replace a failed sewer pipe. Fortunately, modern plumbing technology offers a far more advanced and less invasive alternative. Trenchless sewer repair allows professional plumbers to repair or even replace an entire underground sewer line with minimal to no digging, saving your landscaping, your driveway, and your sanity.
The Old Way: Destructive Traditional Excavation
Traditional sewer replacement is a brute-force method. A large trench, often several feet wide and deep, must be dug along the entire path of the old pipe, from your house to the street. The old, broken pipe is removed, a new one is laid, and the trench is filled in.
The problem with this method is the immense collateral damage. It inevitably destroys everything in its path—your lawn, your flower beds, your mature trees, your sprinklers, your walkway, and even your driveway if the pipe runs underneath it. The cost to repair and replace all this landscaping and hardscaping often adds thousands of dollars to the total bill, on top of the already expensive plumbing repair. The process is also slow, turning your property into a construction zone for days on end.
The Modern Alternative: Trenchless Sewer Repair
Trenchless technology works from the inside out, requiring only one or two small access points to be dug at either end of the pipe run. There are two primary methods:
- Pipe Lining (Cured-in-Place Pipe or CIPP): This method is ideal for pipes that are cracked or have leaks and root intrusion but are still mostly intact. A flexible, epoxy-saturated liner is inserted into the old, damaged pipe. An inflatable bladder inside the liner then pushes it firmly against the walls of the existing pipe. The epoxy resin is then cured (hardened) with heat or UV light, which creates a seamless, durable, and brand-new pipe inside of the old one.
- Pipe Bursting: This method is used when the existing pipe has collapsed or is too damaged to be lined. A powerful hydraulic machine pulls a brand-new, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe through the path of the old pipe. A conical “bursting head” is attached to the front of the new pipe, and as it’s pulled through, it fractures and breaks the old pipe outward into the surrounding soil while simultaneously pulling the new, stronger pipe into its exact place.
As many plumbing industry resources like the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC), a leading industry group, have noted, trenchless technology has revolutionized the industry, offering a superior solution for consumers.
The Clear Advantages of a No-Dig Solution
For most homeowners, the benefits of going trenchless are overwhelming:
- Saves Your Property: Your yard, garden, patio, and driveway are saved from destruction.
- Faster Project Completion: Most trenchless jobs are completed in a single day.
- Often More Cost-Effective: When you factor in the thousands of dollars saved on not having to restore your landscaping, trenchless is frequently the more affordable option overall.
- A Superior Product: The new seamless pipes are corrosion-proof, highly resistant to root intrusion, and are often rated to last for 50 years or more.
Your Utah Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement Experts
When you’re facing a broken sewer line, it’s a relief to know you have a better option than destroying your yard. The first step is always a professional video camera inspection to determine the best solution for your specific situation. For homeowners in Utah, the team at Lets Fix Plumbing offers modern, no-dig solutions for trenchless sewer line replacement. Contact us for an inspection today.