What To Do If Pipe Relining Fails

Understanding Pipe Relining and the Relining Process

Pipe relining is an innovative trenchless repair approach that repairs damaged pipes without disrupting yards or driveways, involving the insertion of an epoxy resin liner to create a new "pipe within a pipe".

The benefits of employing this advanced repair method pipe relining, include:

• Less intrusive — Relining doesn’t require the upheaval of your garden or endure the noise of heavy machinery.
• Saves time and money, offering a stark contrast to the extensive and costly traditional pipe replacement process.
• Durability - Relined pipes become stronger than their original state and, with a product warranty, can last over 50 years.
• Prevents future blockages from tree roots and ensures solid drain repair in your sewer system without need for extensive excavation
• Preserves flow capacity and water pressure, obviating the need for digging.

The pipe relining method involves:

1. Camera inspection - We insert a CCTV camera and capture video footage to inspect the pipe condition and locate any damage or blockages.
2. Cleaning - The significant cleanup of the pipe interior sets the stage for the resin liner to adhere effectively.
3. Resin installation - The critical step of introducing and securing the fibreglass liner saturated in epoxy resin within the pipe proceeds smoothly.
4. Curing - The resin sets and hardens, sealing any cracks, which maintains the efficiency of water systems such as your hot water heater.

The outcome of pipe relining, often cost-effective, restores structural stability and effectively prevents future buildup or blockages. Unalike traditional pipe replacement methods that require digging up your garden, pipe relining can rehabilitate the original pipe swiftly with minimal disruption to your green spaces and landscaping.

When comes to forward-thinking plumbing solutions in areas like Hunters Hill, Sydney, pipe relining is growing in popularity as residents seek to address issues with ageing plumbing infrastructure in a non-destructive cost-effective manner.

How to Identify Signs of a Failed Relining

There are several signs that may indicate a pipe relining repair has failed or is failing:

Leaks

Discovering water seeping around joints, couplings, or other weak points, including in basements, crawl spaces, or yards, is a clear sign of a plumbing leak.

Recurring blockages

If a relined sewer exhibits backup problems, it typically indicates complications with the relining work, where tree root incursion or pipe damage in a compromised section might cause liner breaches.

Strange noises

Hearing gurgling, bubbling or running water sounds coming from inside walls and around pipes can provide advance warning of problems before a total failure. This may indicate sections where the resin liner did not bond or cure properly.

Musty smells

Sewer gas odours emanating from drains can indicate that sewage is pooling in gaps, often pointing to an issue with the pipe relining vs traditional pipe connection between the existing pipe and the liner.

CCTV inspections

One of the best ways to ensure continuity is to fix your pipe relining issues proactively through detailed CCTV drain inspections. At Hunters Hill Plumbing, our plumbers conduct thorough interior pipe examinations to ensure impeccable repair work, inspiring confidence for repeat service if necessary.

Home and business owners should stay alert for any other signs. Promptly get job tackled by a professional plumber if such problems persist, ensuring you’ll choose us again to diagnose and rectify them before significant damage or a total liner failure occurs.

Next Steps When a Relining Fails

Should you suspect failure in your plumbing, contact Hunters Hill Plumbing Pty Ltd, who does pipe relining with proficiency, right away. Attempting makeshift fixes could make the damage worse.

During the initial assessment, our team does pipe assessments to determine if the issue is a minor failure affecting just a small section or a more serious total liner failure. We can then advise on the best immediate and long-term solutions, whether it’s a minor issue or fixing a more serious broken pipe situation.

Addressing Minor Liner Failures:

• Occasionally, our technicians who came out might recommend spot repairs with pipe patches to bolster weak areas.
• Re-routing pipe flows temporarily while planning pipe replacement.
• Installing a protective sleeve liner over your broken or compromised sections.

For major relining failures:

• For detached or collapsed liners, you may require pipe replacement; however, pipe relining could offer a more cost-effective solution without disturbing your landscape.
• We can install bypass pumping to handle flows during sewer repair until pipe replacement is complete.
• Excavating and removing the damaged section pipe if a water main break occurs.

In every scenario, we aim to prevent leaks or ruptures in your sewer stormwater system that could otherwise lead to water damage or sewer overflows at your property. We would empathise with homeowners and businesses, recognising how stressful and inconvenient these issues can be.

Please call our dedicated team anytime at 1300 349 338 or jobs@huntershillplumbingservices.com.au to schedule an inspection and discuss repair options if you suspect your pipe relining has failed.

DIY Troubleshooting Tips

Pending professional assessment, which is strongly advised, you can attempt several basic troubleshooting steps:

Check for visible damage

Inspect your pipeline for visible issues such as leaks, cracks, or detachment, although many problems may not be apparent.

Clear simple drain obstructions

To quickly mitigate blocked drains from debris or buildup, utilising a drain snake or plunger may be helpful, though extensive blockages often signify liner failure necessitating professional repair.

Reduce water use

Restrict water usage around your drain that is affected by blockages and pipe issues to slow flows until your plumbing system is inspected. But don’t stop water use completely.

Remember that Most plumbing issues demand expertise for accurate diagnosis and a solution your property requires, available any time day or night with professionals like Hunters Hill Plumbing to permanently resolve any relining failures and avert further damage.

Calling a Professional Plumber

DIY troubleshooting may offer short-term fixes, but without the requisite training and tools, complex pipe repairs are not only dangerous but also unlikely to be lasting solutions.

The work was executed meticulously, performing pipe relining with the aid of cutting-edge equipment and epoxy resins. Similarly, there’s no substitute for expertise in the process of pipe replacement for failed sections or entire lines, as it demands knowledge to locate, excavate, and reconnect plumbing correctly.

For this reason, when I detected a potential plumbing pipe relining issue, I promptly called the licensed, professional plumbers at Hunters Hill Plumbing who got job done with precision. His team was very professional, with years of experience assessing and repairing all types of plumbing issues.

Our Service Offerings

• Emergency plumbing and leak detection, ensuring customers are very happy with the non-invasive measures in our pipe relining solutions
• Drain inspections and unclogging
• Trenchless pipe relining and repairs
• Water line replacement
• Sewer line repair and replacement
• Pipe patching, sealing and reinforcement

We employed advanced diagnostics technology and did great job, utilising proven relining vs pipe replacement methods to ensure your hot water systems and plumbing function with utmost reliability after any liner setbacks. To safeguard your property and finances, don’t hesitate; call us today, and allow the skilful professionals at Hunters Hill Plumbing to assist you.

Contact our office anytime 24/7 for emergency repairs at 1300 349 338 or request a quote via email.

Pipe Replacement Considerations

In some situations, full stormwater sewer pipe replacement may be the best long-term option over pipe relining, such as:

Severe pipe damage

Replacement is essential when severely corroded or structurally compromised pipes extend beyond repair. Relining is not suitable for bolstering a collapsed pipe with extensive damage.

Prior repairs have failed

If initial relining is followed by persistent failures, critical reassessment is necessary to ensure a more robust solution through pipe repair or replacement. Continual spot repairs may become more costly over time.

Upgrading materials

Relining can, with the use of modern materials like PEX or PVC pipe, extend lifespans and mitigate wear tear, preventing future problems. Consider an upgrade especially for older pipes susceptible to degradation.

The pipe replacement process involves:

• Excavation - Carefully dug up a trench to access and remove the damaged pipe
• Installation - Laying a new pipe in place and connecting it properly
• Backfilling - Neatly tidying up after the trench is refilled once connections are established

When it comes to overall disruption, while pipe replacement might be more intrusive than relining, it doesn’t always require tearing up your lawn and offers a permanent solution that adds decades of reliable service life. Hunters Hill Plumbing takes pride in our expertise, enabling us to determine whether pipe replacement or relining is more suitable for your unique situation.

Contact us at 1300 349 338 to evaluate your options.

Preventing Future Relining Failures

To help prevent pipe relining failures, explore the entire pipe relining process to understand and implement key maintenance strategies:

Conduct regular CCTV inspections

Having your plumber perform periodic drain and sewer line inspections is crucial for identifying potential issues early. At Hunters Hill Plumbing, we use advanced CCTV cameras to thoroughly examine the interior condition of pipes and see if liners are intact.

Understand your pipe age and material

Knowing the estimated age and material of your plumbing infrastructure can add to your ability to gauge relining lifespan and replacement needs proactively. Keep records to determine when future repairs or upgrades may be required.

Address joint leaks and root intrusion

Small leaks around pipe joints and root penetration through cracks can do more than gradually erode liners over time. Seal joints and use root killer treatments to maximise longevity of repairs.

Consider pipe replacement

Especially when your steel, clay, or critically damaged sewer pipes show signs of age, a replacement might prove more cost effective and offer a more enduring, robust solution.

Being vigilant, scheduling regular maintenance checks, and knowing when to take preemptive measures for ageing pipes are the best ways to avoid relining failures down the road. Contact our team at 1300 349 338 anytime to discuss the most effective maintenance plan for your plumbing.