ABC10 – I’m Melissa Paul, and this is Home Appreciation.  Fixing your home plumbing can be an expensive and messy job, but we spoke to an expert who explains trenchless technologies – a method that can save you money without expensive open-trench digging on your property.

Trenchless Technology is a variety of technologies that are used to replace underground pipes without digging.  Two of the most common technologies used are pipe bursting and pipe lining.

Pipe bursting is a method of trenchless technology that uses a steel splitting head that we pull through the existing pipe – breaking the old pipe apart and pulling a new pipe in right behind it.  With pipe lining, a two part epoxy is injected into a felt sock which is pulled through the existing pipe underground, forming a pipe-within-a-pipe.

The big benefits of trenchless technology is that is skips much of the digging compared to conventional trenching – which typically saves about 40%.  Because trenchless technology uses modern materials that are seamless, you eliminate joints which allow roots to get in which allows for longer warranties.