When a drain pipe cracks or a joint moves underground, the traditional fix means digging down to it. That can mean lifting patios, digging up lawns and a lot of mess. At this home in Swindon & Wiltshire, our drainage team repaired a damaged pipe from the inside instead, using a cured in place pipe (CIPP) resin repair. No digging required.
The problem
The homeowner had a damaged section of underground drain pipe. Left alone, damage like this tends to get worse. Cracks and displaced joints let water escape into the ground, give tree roots a way in and catch waste as it passes, which leads to repeat blockages.
Finding the damage with a CCTV survey
Before any repair, we need to know exactly what we’re dealing with. We fed our CCTV drain camera into the pipe from the inspection chamber in the back garden. The camera shows the inside of the pipe on screen along with the distance travelled, so we could pinpoint the damaged section just a few metres along the run.
This is why CCTV comes first on so many of our jobs. It tells us whether a pipe needs clearing, repairing or both, so we only fix what actually needs fixing. For another example, see how a CCTV survey found tree roots growing inside a drain.
The no-dig repair
With the damage located, we carried out a CIPP repair. A liner soaked in resin is fed into the pipe on an inflatable packer and positioned at the damaged section. The packer is then inflated with air, pressing the liner firmly against the inside of the old pipe. Once the resin has cured, the packer is deflated and removed, leaving a tough, smooth, sealed section of pipe right where the damage was.
Everything was done from the inspection chamber. The patio stayed down, the garden stayed as it was, and the only signs we’d been there were our camera, compressor and a few air lines on the slate chippings for the day.
The result
The damaged section is now sealed from the inside, so water stays in the pipe where it belongs and roots have no way back in. The homeowner didn’t have to deal with a trench across their garden, or the cost of putting everything back afterwards.
Why choose a no-dig drain repair?
CIPP repairs aren’t right for every problem, but where they are, they have some real advantages:
- No digging up gardens, patios or driveways
- Usually much quicker than digging down to the pipe
- A smooth, sealed finish that helps keep roots and leaks out
- Often more cost-effective once you factor in putting the ground back
Our team is qualified to carry out cured in place resin repairs, and we always start with a CCTV survey so we can recommend the right fix for your drain.
Got a damaged or problem drain?
If your drains keep blocking or smell, or you’ve been told a pipe is cracked, get in touch. We’ll find out what’s going on with a CCTV survey and talk you through your options, including no-dig repairs where they’re suitable.
Call our Swindon office on 01793 878 636, or visit our drainage services page.
