Anyone homeowner knows that it is inevitable that at some point in owning your home, you will have to make repairs. Sometimes, those repairs will be small, easy to handle yourself and inexpensive. Other times, those repairs can be major, out of your knowledge base and unfortunately, expensive. Replacement or repairs to your sewer and other underground piping usually falls into the category of “I don’t know how to fix that myself!” It’s important, as a responsible homeowner, to know your best options before making a financial commitment to have someone come out to handle these repairs for you.
Most people are familiar with the method of traditional digging to replace underground piping. It’s the most common method used. The process usually involves an excavator unearthing and digging down to uncover the pipes that you have on your property. A lot of people are unaware that there is actually another option. Trenchless technology is a method that involves tunneling beneath the earth to install new or repair existing pipe. The goal of this article is to explore the pros and cons of both methods, so that you can make a more informed decision on which method may be better for your specific situation.
Let’s dig into it, shall we?
Traditional Digging Pros:
1) Traditional digging can be the cheaper option for the homeowner if disrupting the landscape isn’t a major concern. If the landscape is relatively unestablished or doesn’t have a lot of existing structures and obstacles, then traditional digging will probably be cheaper. Also, if there are no underground utilities that are in the vicinity that need to be considered and worked around, the traditional method is probably the route to go.
2) There will be more material options available for this method. An open trench allows the opportunity to use any material that is approved for new install. Cast iron, stainless steel, PVC, concrete, etc., are all on the table as options for traditional digging, whereas with trenchless, there are only a few materials that can be utilized. Due to the nature of trenchless piping, a high-density polyethylene pipe has to be used for its flexibility, weldability, and its corrosion resistance. These properties allow for the pipe to be pulled through existing piping for long distances, welded together and handle corrosive environments.
3) Traditional digging will more easily allow for the option of upsizing the pipe. Typically, upsizing isn’t the original reason that your pipes are being worked on, but when using this method, you can utilize the situation and have your pipes replaced with a larger size. A specific size of pipe is usually installed for a reason, and it’s most often regulated by codes. Piping can sometimes become undersized over time due to additions to your home, an increase in load, etc. and may need to be adjusted accordingly. Sometimes, if the code has changed in an area, resurfaced pipes may be required to be brought up to the current code.
Traditional Digging Cons:
1) This method can be very disruptive to the landscape. Traditional digging may not be the best option for yards that are well established with patios, decorative ponds, large structures, concrete, pavement, etc. Replacing pipes this way will require open trenches running the length of the pipe and if there are obstacles in the way, then they will have to be removed. Imagine having to dig up your driveway or a concrete pad that your deck furniture may be sitting on…. The equipment being used would need to dig it up, remove it, handle your piping issues and then you are left with replacing what was there before the work was done. This can become very time consuming, very costly and may require more than one contractor to be involved in the project.
2) Having open trenches in your yard will bring along more safety precautions with it. When your contractor opens up deep trenches in your space there are certain OSHA standards that have to be met by your contractor. The deeper the trench, the more slope and width must go with it, as well. This is to prevent cave-ins, hazardous work conditions, etc. This is something to consider if there are structures near the trench; disturbing the soil near a structure can compromise the integrity of the soil. Open trenches on your land can also be safety concern if you have pets or children that could potentially be around them, for obvious reasons.
3) The traditional digging method can be the more expensive option for repair if there are a lot of underground utilities in the path. When your contractor has to take these utilities into consideration when digging down, they have to be more cautious and usually move at a slower pace. Once the excavator reaches a certain depth with its bucket, then the best options become hydro or air vacuum excavation, so that the digging can be done more tediously to avoid damaging the utilities in the ground. These options bring more expense. Hand digging is an option; this can drive up the cost of labor and there will still be slight risk of damage. The cost of landscaping repair after the job should also be remembered, as previously noted.
4) Although your contractor will plan around any underground utilities that have been established in the trenching area, there is always some risk of damage to utilities that are unmarked. City mains, water, gas, sewer, electrical, etc. should be marked and accounted for, but occasionally the contractor will run across one that isn’t marked or unaccounted for. If a line is clipped or pinched by the equipment, it could halt the project until that utility is fixed. In some cases, these lines can affect other houses and businesses in the area and may need to be treated as an emergency repair.
Now let’s talk about the Trenchless method….
Trenchless Pros:
1) The trenchless method for replacing/ repairing pipe is considerably less disruptive to the landscape than traditional digging. Normally, there will be only two holes dug to access the depth that the pipe will be run; one at the start and one at the end. Occasionally only one is needed. The rest of the work will remain unseen, under the earth. When your home has a well-established landscape with paved driveways, decks, structures, or a lot of underground utilities to maneuver around this is definitely the best option. This option is generally more environmentally friendly and considerably less invasive.
2) With that being said, this can also make trenchless the cheaper option of the two. When the landscape has these types of obstacles sitting on top of the work area, it can get pricey to move them, dig them up, replace them, etc. Instead of the headache to do so, it can all be avoided by tunneling underneath them. Most often for repairs, the trenchless method will use the same path that already exists for the pipe that is there now. It simply breaks apart the existing pipe and replaces it with new. Even if a new path is needed, the concept remains the same; tunnel through without disturbing what is above ground. This translates to less excavating, less risk of damage, less cost for mending the landscape to its original state.
3) The trenchless option should be heavily considered due to the speed of the job. Since there is less excavating, hand digging/ manual labor and mending the landscape afterwards, trenchless tends to take less time overall, getting the job done quicker. Often, trenchless can be completed in one day. A lot of the speed can be attributed to the fact that there is simply less digging with an excavator.
Trenchless Cons:
1) Unfortunately, there will be fewer material options when going with trenchless. Due to the nature of the process and conditions, only certain materials can be utilized. It will be most common to see a high-density polyethylene pipe being used for trenchless jobs. This material is used due to its flexibility, weldability and corrosion resistance. These properties enable the pipe to be pulled through existing pipe, sometimes for long distances and then welded together. The corrosion resistance helps when it is exposed to concentrated wastewater and external corrosion from the earth.
2) Not everyone will be a great candidate for trenchless due to several issues that can arise with the repair or replacement. There are several instances that can make using trenchless technology more difficult or not the best option. Occasionally, contractors will run across an area in the existing pipe that is referred to as a “belly”. This is an area of the pipe that has a dip in it underground due to improper support from the dirt that is around it. Complete collapses of the existing pipe will also affect whether your job is a candidate or not. If the cable from the trenchless equipment can’t be fed through the damaged pipe, the job will become more difficult, as well. A belly or a collapse will result in more holes being opened in your yard to access the problem area. Obviously, the more holes you create, the more likely that it is that an open trench would be the better choice.
3) Utilizing trenchless technology can be the more expensive option for several reasons. As mentioned above, if landscaping is not an issue because there are no obstacles or established structures sitting over the work area then hiring a trenchless contractor may be more expensive than traditional digging. This is also the case if there are no underground utilities in the area to work around. Some homeowners may choose to go with trenchless, even though it is the more expensive option, just because they like the idea of their yard being left in its mostly original condition and the quickness of the job.
Conclusion:
Making repairs and improvements to your home can be a headache if you don’t know your options. Plumbing is such an important aspect of your home, and you want to make sure that it is being handled correctly. When referring to trenchless and traditional, one is not better than the other. They are both very useful processes, and both have their rightful place in the plumbing world. Every home and business are different and requires different approaches. You can feel better about the money that you are having to spend if you feel confident that you are making an educated, well-informed decision. If you think trenchless may be a good fit for you, skiwi is here to help. Give us a call!
