I know what you might be thinking – why would I want to read an article about pipes and lining, right?  Well, you might be surprised at how important they are for parts of our everyday lives – in particular, for sewage lines.  The lining in these plays a surprisingly vital role in their lasting power.

If that is something that you would like to learn a little bit more about, consider sticking around!  While there are resources like this one https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/pipeline-construction, hopefully, I will be able to provide a bit more of a detailed account of this and how it works.

What is Pipe Rehabilitation?

For those unaware, most sewer systems or other pipelines require a lot of maintenance over the years.  Rehabilitation is the process in which those pipes are either replaced or repaired.  It is a type of trenchless rehab if you are familiar with that at all.  Do not worry if you are not, though.

The main goal of the trenchless type is that we can perform repairs using manholes rather than having to dig up around the lines.  This makes it safer and less disruptive for everyone involved, which is certainly a plus.  Construction injuries and accidents are a huge consideration for those in this field, and I think they should be taken seriously.  The fact that this method is also eco- friendly is like icing on the cake!

How it Works

As I explain this, keep in mind that it might include some jargon that you are unfamiliar with due to the field.  That being said, if anything is confusing to you, you can always look up the phrases or terms that do not make sense.  That being said, let us continue.

In pipe rehabilitation, there are several types of lining that make up the cured-in-place pipes, known as CIPP.  Some examples of this are  Applied Felts’ CIPP liners, which involve using a type of resin to soak the interior.  Of course, there are plenty of options and methods out there, but I do think that seeing tangible examples can be helpful in explaining how this all works.

The liners are placed into the damaged pipes after they have been inspected and cleaned.  Once they are inserted, typically they expand with the moisture that they are exposed to, which thankfully is the desired effect.  Steam and compressed air are other ways to expand the lining so that it fills the space properly.

Bursting is another way that this can be done, but it is a bit more complex in that it involves two different sizes and specifics in terms of their diameter.  So, that is why most people tend to prefer the CIPP liners instead.

What is CIPP?

It stands for cured-in-place pipe lining, as I mentioned above.  What does this mean, though?  The term is not overly descriptive, unfortunately, so a bit of extra legwork should be done to get a full grasp of the concept.

The main draw is that it takes less time than other methods because it does not require digging around the lines.  That means that the rehab process can be done faster, which is generally desirable.  It is best utilized for pipes that do not require an upsize, though, so try to keep that in mind if you are considering it.

There are a few steps involved.  The first thing is to remove any debris within the system, including things like the roots of plants.  There are more details on that process on websites like this one if you would like to learn more about it specifically.  After that, you need to create a form of sewer bypass system to ensure that nothing goes wrong in the meantime.

Namely, that is to make sure that none of the sewer water ends up still entering the site that you are working on.  Simply redirect it to other parts of the system until repairs are over.  A sewer vacuum might be a good idea as well to ensure that the pipe remains clean throughout the process.

After that, the liner should be inserted into the sewer pipe.  Generally, this is done via a manhole to make things easier.  After that, you use whatever method you prefer to cure the liner and then it expands and hardens.

Finally, you remove the bypass system and allow the pipes to return to their normal state.  As was mentioned, it is not overly complex.  It simply requires a bit of fine-tuning along the way, and the help of experts in this field can certainly never hurt.

I would say the most difficult aspect is to find proper lining.  This can be difficult, but most labeled CIPP should be able to work in this context.