Is Your Drain in Need of Relining?
Drains do a lot of work. They are constantly moving water and other materials from one place to another and generally take a lot of abuse. As with anything, in order to keep things moving as they should, without any disruption, drains need to be maintained on a regular basis.
Typically drains will last a very long time. It’s not very often that they need to be replaced, but, sometimes they do require relining. Natural disasters, accidents, neglect – they all happen regularly, and if your drain gets caught in the crossfire, it will need seeing to.
Sometimes the damage caused by these things is pretty superficial and can be fixed by way of a simple repair. However, if the damage is particularly extensive, it may be a case that the whole drain will need relining.
What’s Involved in Drain Relining?
Relining drains involves cleaning and descaling of the damaged or weakened section using a number of specialised tools. During the initial stage, this often includes CCTV survey technology to identify the damage, and a combination of electro-mechanical machining and high pressure water jets to blast away ant scale, debris, or silt deposits hanging around.
The process typically begins with an initial inspection to determine just how bad the damage is. Once the location and extent of the damage is known a solution is quickly sought and work commences. Unlike drain replacements, this process is all done fairly quickly and in most cases will be as good as new in just a few hours.
Next, the lining is installed. Most companies these days use a ‘no-dig’ approach to drain relining (including our good selves). This is a much less invasive approach, leaving you with minimal mess and disruption.
The Main Benefits of Drain Relining
You don’t have to wait until your drain is damaged to have it relined. It may be that you’ve noticed certain things which indicate a potential problem and you may want to get it done as a precaution.
There are many benefits to having your drain relined. Here are just a few examples:
- Reinforcement. During the initial investigation, any cracks, damage, or weaknesses to the drain will be identified. These will then be sealed completely during the relining process, leaving you with a stronger drain then ever.
- Non-evasive. Relining a drain is so much quicker and less messy than the replaing of a drain. Most installations are ready to use within hours of installing, leaving you to enjoy the rest of your day in peace.
- Strong materials. The materials used when relining drains are extremely strong and durable. They have been designed specifically for this purpose and are perfect for helping to keep your drain in great condition for years to come.
- Less costly than replacement. As there’s no excavation involved in drain relining, there’s no need for heavy duty machinery. Straight way this reduces the cost of both equipment and labour.
- Peace of mind. If you’ve been suffering with a problem, then you’ll get instant gratification from having your drain relined. In addition to that, you’ll get peace of mind in the form of a warranty. Typically when it comes to drain relining this will be between 10 and 50 years, but it’s always best to check with the installation company to be sure.
Tell-tale Signs Your Drain Needs Relining
While the best and most definitive way to determine if your drain needs relining, is through the use of CCTV, there are a few other clues to look out for:
- Wet floors. Most plumbing networks run underneath the property before connecting with the main sewer line. If you are experiencing wet floors in places near these lines, there’s a good chance you have a leaking drain.
- Unpleasant odours. Another tell-tale sign of a leak is if you start to smell strong mold or sewer odours. If there’s a leak, these smells will seep into the air, leaving you with an unpleasant odour to deal with.
- Rodents. Rats and other vermin are attracted to the strong smells emitted by sewer lines. Therefore, if you have a sudden rise in the nubert of furry creatures frequenting the property, and you’re not in the habit of leaving food out laying around, it could be that you need your drains relining.
- Rise in your water bill. While a rise in your water bill might not always be down to a damaged drain, if paired with any of the other signs listed here, it’s definitely worth checking out. The best way to check this is to turn off the water at the mains and stand and observe the water meter reading. If everything is shut off and it’s still counting, you know you have a problem.
- Gurgling noises. If you constantly hear the sound of running water, this is another good indication that there’s trouble lurking somewhere in your drainage system. To test this theory, carry out the same process as above in shutting off all the water. If the sound persists even when the mains are shut off, it’s time to investigate further.
Repair Vs Replacement Every Time
Wherever possible, it’s always better to opt for the repairing of a drain opposed to the replacement of it. The replacement of a drain is quite an extensive operation in comparison. There are trenches to be dug and whole sections of pipes/drains to be removed and replaced.
This requires a lot of labour and heavy duty equipment, which adds to the overall cost very quickly. Then, after the actual replacement, you need to also worry about the cost of landscaping to get your property looking how it was.
Repairing your drain is far less invasive. When it’s just a case of relining your drain, a single access hole around 1 metre squared is all that’s needed. So, there’s no need to call in the ‘Ground Force’ team when this method is used.
If you’re unsure at all as to whether you need your drains relining or have any other drainage question, then be sure to get in touch today.