If your home’s external pipes are damaged, you’re going to need to call in the professionals to take a look at the problem. A damaged external drain isn’t something you can fix yourself, unlike a clogged drain in the house.
One approach to deal with the problem is drain relining, which essentially means installing new pipework inside the damaged drain. But does this mean digging up your garden? Here, we’ll take a look at how the process works, including why it’s needed and how invasive it is.
What is drain relining, and why is it needed?
Drain relining is necessary when outdoor pipes and drains have become damaged. They may have become cracked or collapsed, or tree roots have penetrated a small hole in the pipework and then continued to grow, expanding and damaging the pipe further.
Whatever the cause of the damage, the consequences can be a real headache to deal with. It usually means leaks, so you could end up with pools of standing wastewater in the garden. Sewage can back up, and your drains become slow draining, and you could also end up with foul smells inside your home as well as outside.
It will need dealing with immediately, before it gets any worse. The most common method used to fix the problem is drain relining, which involves fitting new, tougher pipes inside your existing ones. It’s a long-lasting fix, with many benefits including faster repairs, lower costs, and less disruption to you and your family.
Do I need to dig up my garden for drain relining?
One of the biggest advantages of drain relining is that there’s no need to dig up your garden. It’s one of the most non-invasive drain relining methods available, with minimal disruption or damage to your property.
This is because the old drains – while damaged and no longer fit for purpose – don’t need to be removed. Instead, new pipework will be installed inside the pipes using a few clever techniques. For example, pouring resin inside the pipe lining before inserting it into the damaged pipe (so that it sets and cures inside the pipe), or using more flexible materials for curved sections of pipework.
All of this can happen without any need to dig trenches, so your flowerbeds, borders, and lawn will remain untouched.
How trenchless drain repair works – a step-by-step guide
Now, let’s take a closer look at the process of relining a drain. Here are the main steps involved:
1. CCTV Inspection
The first step is to inspect the drain for blockages and leaks with a specialist CCTV camera. This can also assess the size of the drain, location, and whether it’s suitable for drain lining (not every type of pipe or drain is).
2. Cleaning
The pipes need to be cleaned before they can be lined, otherwise it may not be possible to get a good bond with the inner pipe walls. It’s also necessary to get rid of obstructions like tree roots. A couple of techniques may be used for drain cleaning, including high-pressure jet wash equipment and robotic cutting tools.
3. Measuring and preparation
Using the results of the inspection, the next job for the drain specialist is to choose the most suitable relining method for your setup. They’ll choose the type of pipe lining and use measurements to calculate the amount.
4. Installing the pipe lining
How drain lining is typically installed is by using resin, which is poured into the pipe lining before being inserted inside the damaged pipe. A special air bag will be inflated inside, to shape the pipe lining and resin to the shape of your pipes as it cures.
Once the resin has hardened and solidified, the air bag can be removed.
5. Carrying out the final inspection
The last important job is to inspect the pipe again with a CCTV camera and using leak detection equipment to make extra sure there are no leaks.
Remember – this isn’t a DIY job, so you’ll need to bring in a drain specialist for this kind of work.
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