Facing Underground Pipe Problems? Discover When Pipe Bursting Could Save Your Property and Your Wallet

When underground pipes fail, property owners face a critical decision: how to repair or replace damaged infrastructure with minimal disruption and maximum long-term value. Pipe bursting is a trenchless method of replacing buried pipelines (such as sewer, water, or natural gas pipes) without the need for a traditional construction trench, letting professionals replace buried pipes with minimal surface disruption, saving time, money, and landscaping.

Understanding Pipe Bursting Technology

Pipe bursting is a method of repairing or replacing our sewer lines without digging trenches in the ground and wreaking havoc on your yard. The pipe bursting process uses the infrastructure that already exists underground in the sewer lines. This equipment acts as a guide for installing the new pipes with little to no disturbance to the surrounding ground. The existing pipe is replaced with either a pneumatic hammer or a static pulling head. The old pipe is then broken up and shifts outward into the surrounding soil. The space this old pipe used to inhabit is then filled by the new pipe.

Most new sewer lines installed using pipe bursting are HDPE pipes, which are durable, flexible, and resistant to corrosion. They’re fused together before the pull-in, creating a joint-free pipe that’s less likely to leak or fail and should provide trouble-free service for decades.

When Pipe Bursting Is the Right Choice

Several factors determine whether pipe bursting is the optimal solution for your underground pipe problems:

Severity of Damage

Pipe-bursting is best used for collapsed or completely compromised straight drain lines in your yard. Pipe bursting is recommended for severely damaged sewer lines that cannot be repaired with liners alone. It’s a highly effective solution for replacing entire sewer lines without extensive excavation, making it suitable for pipes with extensive damage beyond just a few cracks. Pipe relining is the better solution for minor sewer leaks, root intrusions and cracks. While it does not replace the pipe, the CIPP inserted is durable enough to reinforce the damaged pipeline.

Location and Accessibility

Pipe bursting is best for replacing pipelines in environmentally sensitive areas—such as wetlands, roads, or residential neighborhoods with established structures over pipelines. Pulling the pipe through an existing utility requires less excavation, causing less surface disruption and minimizing the impact construction has on the surrounding environment and community. Bursting takes place underground and avoids large runs of your lawn having to be dug up, saving laborious digging time. This is especially beneficial if there is a long distance between your home and where the drain lines connect to the sewer or septic system.

Pipe Configuration

You may have already picked up on this, but pipe-bursting and sleeving are better for yard lines and straight runs. When plumbing lines head under a slab there are turns, branch lines, joints, and smaller connections that impede the proper installation of a pipe bursting or sleeving process.

Advantages of Pipe Bursting

When you choose pipe bursting as your trenchless pipe replacement method of choice, you are helping ensure that your yard remains relatively undisturbed. It can also prevent the need to dig up the street and sidewalk outside your home and pay for those repairs as well once the job is over. This lower ground disturbance also usually means a shorter working time.

Another benefit is that the newly inserted pipe is the same diameter as what is being replaced. You lose no drainage volume capacity through the lines. Additionally, the pipe bursting method provides utility owners the option of keeping the new pipe the same size as the original utility pipe or increasing it by one to two pipe sizes. For example, if the pipe is originally six inches in diameter, developers can upgrade it to an eight- or 10-inch pipe, depending on local clearances and regulations on the depth of utility pipes.

Cost Considerations

While you are likely to pay more upfront, trenchless methods of pipe repair and replacement typically cost more than open-top excavation methods. On average, they can cost anywhere from 30 to 50 percent more than the open-top options. However, pipe bursting sewer line replacement results in long-term savings by minimizing collateral damage, landscape restoration, and project time. So even if it costs slightly more upfront than the alternative, you’ll save overall because you won’t have to pay to put your yard back together.

The cost for pipe-bursting can run between $80 to $250 a foot. Yes, this is a higher cost than other methods, but what is being installed is meant to last.

Professional Expertise Matters

For Long Island residents dealing with underground pipe issues, working with experienced professionals is crucial. Long Island Sewer and Water Main offers professional, reliable repairs, installations, & replacements and has been serving the community since 1983. Long Island Sewer and Water Main is committed to providing value for our clients in Long Beach, NY, and throughout the entire Nassau County region, ensuring that your project stays within budget. Our team is dedicated to delivering top-quality results for water and sewer projects in Nassau County.

When you need Pipe Bursting Nassau County, NY services, choosing a company with extensive trenchless technology experience ensures your project will be completed efficiently and effectively.

Making the Right Decision

It’s not a question of which is better but which is more appropriate for your situation. The selection of a specific method depends on soil conditions, groundwater conditions, degree of upsizing required, type of new pipe, construction of the existing pipeline, depth of the pipeline and availability of experienced contractors with suitable equipment.

Before deciding on pipe bursting, consider having a professional sewer camera inspection to assess the extent of damage and determine if your pipes are good candidates for this trenchless method. The whole process should take just two to three days, meaning you’ll be back to normal before you know it.

Pipe bursting represents a modern solution to an age-old problem, offering property owners a way to replace failing underground infrastructure without the extensive disruption of traditional excavation methods. When your pipes are severely damaged, located in sensitive areas, or need complete replacement along straight runs, pipe bursting could be the ideal choice to restore your plumbing system while preserving your property’s integrity.