With the aging infrastructure we still have in Toronto, it’s a constant struggle to stay ahead of the elements and keep sewers and drains in good repair. Drain lining is still a fairly new technology, but we’re seeing more and more instances where it has proved the best way to resolve an urgent problem. Whether your drain decides to begin crack during winter when the ground is frozen and digging is almost impossible, or it’s simply that you don’t want the mess and fuss of excavating half of your driveway to repair a leak, this could be the answer. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Getting the Full Picture
First things first. Before you can attempt any form of repairs, it’s important to know just what you’re dealing with. A drain camera inspection using closed-circuit television equipment enables you or your plumber to find all the visible problems inside the pipe in question, so you have an idea of how bad the damage is and where along the drain it’s located.
Step 2: Cleaning Out the Pipe
You can’t do repairs in a drain-pipe filled with debris, so your next move is to clear it out using a plumber’s snake. If the pipe is clogged with garden debris the snake will shift most of it and enable you to flush it out with water. If the reason for the damage to the drain is because of tree roots that have penetrated the pipe, you may have to remove the tree in order to free up the roots and clear them out.
Step 3: Inserting the Lining
Once your drain is cleared of all debris, the next step is to insert the new drain lining. This is done by passing a flexible liner saturated with resin into the drain. The liner is warmed up and an airbag is pushed into it using rods that can reach up to 30 feet in length. Pressurized air is pumped into the bag, which causes it to expands the liner against the sides of the drain. The resin is molded to the interior surface of the pipe.
Step 4: Finishing Process
Once the resin cools down, it hardens to create a smooth, new drain lining inside the original pipe. The airbag is then pulled out using the rods, leaving the newly lined pipe behind. The final stage is to reconnect the pipe to the sewer system and do another camera inspection to make sure no faults exist and that the water is able to flow freely through the repaired section of the drain.
It’s no longer unavoidable for a damaged or leaking drain to result in expensive excavation activity – not to mention the cost of restoring the surface afterward. Your qualified Toronto plumber will be able to tell you whether drain lining is an option for your problem.
