Detailed Step by Step Guide on How to Use Sewer Lining Equipment

Over the last twenty years, the construction of major drains and sewer lines has advanced at a rapid rate. Gone are the days when technicians had to dig up floors and tear out walls just to make repairs to ageing pipes. Now, innovative sewer lining technologies are making things much simpler. For instance, engineers and technicians can fix damage to pipes by inserting a special coating or ‘lining’ into the sewer.

This sticks to the existing pipe to, essentially, create a pipe within a pipe. It reinforces weak spots, increases the overall strength of the sewer materials, and keeps the sewer running smoothly. The process is designed to be quick and cause as little disruption as possible to local homes and businesses.

This detailed step by step guide on how to use sewer lining equipment will explain how the process works.

Step One: Prepare the Installation

First, the technicians dig a trench at the point at which the lower lateral and upper lateral sewer lines link up. Usually, this is protected by a drain cover of some kind. It needs to be removed.

Step Two: Divide the Pipes

The lower lateral and upper lateral sewer lines are divided with the use of precision cutting tools. There has to be a smooth, clean break. If splintering or cracking occurs, this could make it harder to put all of the pieces back together again, once the lining is finished.

Step Three: Clean the Pipe

The interior of the sewer pipe is thoroughly cleaned using a high powered hose. It can pump out thousands of pounds of water pressure every second. The inner surface must be free of debris, so that a smooth join can be made between it and the new lining.

Step Four: Set Up the Inversion Hoses

Two inversion hoses are required for this procedure. The first hose contains a calibration tube. This will be inserted into the pipe as a kind of guide for the new lining. It always has a yellow cord attached to one end, so that the technicians can pull it out later on, without also pulling the set lining away from the pipe.

Step Five: Link Inversion Hose to Head

The second inversion hose contains the new lining. Both of the hoses have special ends, which are shaped to fit inversion head devices. The hose containing the calibration tube and pull cord is attached to one of these inversion devices.

Step Six: Combine and Apply the Resin

The resin that will form the new lining has to be formulated in just the right way. Once all of the ingredients for the mixture are combined, the technicians have to move fast. The chemical reaction begins almost immediately and the resin will start to become firm and rigid. With care (and careful urgency), the resin is poured into the lining tube.

Step Seven: Spread the Resin Evenly

A special rolling device is used to ensure that the resin is being distributed as evenly as possible along the tube. It absorbs excess materials and flattens the substance, so that it spreads all the way along, from end to end.

Step Eight: Attach the Lining to the Pipe

Finally, the lining tube (containing the resin) is attached to an inversion device, in preparation for its journey down the pipe. If necessary, the outer surface of the pipe can be oiled with a slippery substance like cooking oil. This helps it to travel down the pipe more smoothly and decreases the likelihood of snags and obstructions.

Step Nine: Seal the Opening

The tube containing the lining can now be inserted into the sewer pipe. The other end of the tube is hooked up to an air hose that builds pressure and, literally, shoots the lining all the way down the pipe.

Step Ten: Follow with the Calibration Tube

After the lining tube is inserted, the calibration tube is sent close behind it. It is inserted in the same way, with an air hose. The calibration tube is filled with pressure until it expands and inflates inside the pipe. This pushes the lining outwards and encourages it to bond with the surface of the existing pipe.

Step Eleven: Wait for Lining to Harden

It can take between 1-3 hours for the new lining to fully set and harden. Once the technicians are confident that it is in place, the yellow cord on the calibration tube is located and pulled. This dislodges the tube and brings it back out of the pipe, without disturbing the new lining.

Step Twelve: Rejoin the Lines

The final step is to put all of the components back together. The lower lateral and upper lateral sewer lines are reunited and the drain fitting is replaced.