In essence drain lining isn’t a surgical procedure, but rather a non-surgical method to repair blocked drains. Instead of having to dig deep into the drain to locate the blockage point, access is more easily gained from ground level and most repairs are then done from within the drain itself. The basic principle used is relatively simple but should be carried out by a reputable company such as Wilkinson Environmental. The blocked drain is pumped out or pushed down into the sewer pipe. The non-permeable material inside the drain is then cleaned and sealed to prevent further buildup of organic materials, while the materials themselves are replaced. Drain lining, as it’s often called, is the inside layer of the drain pipe where this is done.
This process is much less time consuming and can save a good bit of money on labor costs over conventional repair methods. There’s no need to drill, saw, or remove the material inside the pipe by hand. It’s important to understand that there are two types of drain lining systems: traditional trenchless technology and the newer Permeable Technology. Trenchless technology is what most pipes in residential and commercial use are made out of. A trenchless pipe is simply one that’s installed at the bottom of an existing pipe through the use of a hole in the ground.
Permeable technology is different. This type of drain lining system inserts a plastic liner into the interior of an existing pipe. This liner, when fully inflated, pulls the entire pipe down and creates a new leak-proof seal where the broken section of pipe used to be. After the liner is inflated, it pushes the damaged drain down so that the inner surface of the liner becomes flush with the surrounding soil. Because of this flush surface, repairs to this type of drain lining process can be completed much more quickly and inexpensively than with conventional pipe repair techniques.
