What methods does B. Carlson use to repair main sewer lines?

Question

Accepted Answer

We use both trenchless methods — pipe lining and pipe bursting — and traditional open-trench repair, choosing based on what the camera shows about the line’s condition, material, and route. Trenchless preserves your yard and driveway; traditional excavation is sometimes the only viable option.

Pipe Lining (CIPP)

A resin-saturated liner is pulled or inverted into the existing pipe and cured in place, forming a new seamless pipe inside the old one. It seals cracks and joint separations, blocks root intrusion at entry points, and requires only small access points rather than a trench.

The requirement: the existing pipe has to be structurally intact enough to host the liner. A collapsed section, a severe sag, or a badly deformed line cannot be lined. Lining also slightly reduces inside diameter, which is rarely an issue but has to be accounted for.

Pipe Bursting

A bursting head is pulled through the old pipe, fracturing it outward while simultaneously drawing new HDPE pipe into place behind it. This works where lining will not — collapsed or severely damaged lines — and can actually increase pipe diameter. It needs access pits at each end and a route free of conflicting utilities.

Traditional Excavation

Sometimes the right answer. Necessary when the line has a significant sag requiring re-grading, when the route is obstructed, when access pits are not feasible, or when only a short section needs replacement — in which case a targeted excavation is faster and cheaper than mobilizing trenchless equipment.

How We Decide

A camera inspection with locating comes first, always. It shows pipe material and condition, the nature and exact position of the damage, and whether the line is a trenchless candidate. Then we lay out the options with prices side by side. Our technicians are not paid on commission, so if a spot repair of a few feet solves it, that is what we quote — not a full replacement.