How to Repair a Sewer Pipe Under a Concrete Slab | This Old House
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- čas přidán 11. 09. 2014
- This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to rescue a buried, root-clogged pipe, without digging up the whole site.
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How to Repair a Sewer Pipe Under a Concrete Slab | This Old House
/ thisoldhouse - Jak na to + styl
Plumber: "It's got a high quality video camera".
Camera: "144p".
It's not bad for something that goes in a sewar line
it was 2014 ughhhh
No one really wants to see your shiet in ultraHD, it is enough with the smell
Mine records in about 480p but if this was 2014 I guess I can let it slide
How much does something like that cost
I called five or six different plumbers to come out and look at my drain lines. They wanted over $400 just to put the camera down the drain and they wanted $115 an hour for two guys, that's $230 an hour and I asked them about how much it would cost to to fix it they said about three to five grand. Guesstimating it could be more. I said to hell with that and I fixed it myself. I found out where the lines came out from underneath of the house. Got out of shovel and dug it all up. All the cast iron was completely disintegrating. I got my recipitating saw and cut it all out. And replaced it all with PVC. My wife and I did this in two days. It took the longest to dig it up with a shovel. The actual repair took about four hours. Cost of materials less than $200.
I think they would agree that the preferred method is to just remove the old pipe with new pipe. But in some cases you can’t access the drain lines. I have a few that would be completely inaccesible.
would you mind to list your materials?
@@kevinvinson407 two pieces of 10 ft PVC drain line. Two cleanouts, 2 fernco fittings 4 hose clamp fittings for the ferncos. 2 caps for the clean outs saws all blades PVC cleaner and glue. 1 90 degree Male adapter. 2 housings to cover the clean out . We did this in November of 2020. So it would probably be more expensive now.
U don't have a basement
Agreed, it's always cheaper to do it yourself. It's funny when customers call and say it's a "simple job" or "I could do it myself, but..." and want a cheaper price. Props to you for actually doing it.
I hope the person who invented this is sipping margaritas in Bora Bora. I tip my hat to you.
Yessss i felt like i wished i invented that especially since i have had that issue before very nice
Problem is you dont wear a hat or own any. Well have to contact this plumber for a solution to this as well
With two or three gorgeous girls by his side
I couldn't agree more!
Very thorough explanation of how pipe lining works.
That is the coolest plumbing invention I've seen in 20 years. Brilliant!
That has been invented in England a long time ago not on the 20th century lol it just arrived in the usa in the 20th century lmaoo
@@jonvata1790 this guy doesn't have a patent on this kind of stuff does he? Like..other people can do this method and kind of stuff for pipes?
@@joshbell958 anyone can do it
Invented in the USA
@@jonvata1790 WRONG
I had two jobs done similar to this using the Perma-Liner inverted sock similar to this. The end result was a 1/4” thick wall PVC-like pipe inside of the existing pipe. The liner pipe penetrates the pores in the existing concrete pipe so it is firmly embedded. The pipe is smaller diameter by 1/2” inside but is much more slippery.
Our present house had roots jamming the sewer right next to our house from trees and unfortunately right under our hot tub slab. The sewer cleanout is between the hot tub and the house and the sewer is 3’ deep and 80’ long, going under trees and bushes.
The other job was 35’ long, 8’ deep and went diagonally under a 10’ wide concrete driveway. Roots from trees were in the sewer. A small backhoe dug the single 8’ deep access point.
In both cases they only needed a single access point and both jobs were completed in 2009. The expected life is at least 50 years.
How much did it cost you? My dad's house needs a job like this.
This works fine as long as the existing pipeline (to be lined with this perma-liner type sock) is one continuous pipe with no 'feeder' pipes leading into it (i.e. the input from bathroom sink drains, kitchen sink drains, shower/tub drains, washer drain, etc. Those 'feeders' will be blocked by this insert. As long as the concrete slab is a porch or similar 'slab', then fine, but if the slab is the foundation of your home, the method reflected in this video will NOT work; it will block all the drain 'feeders' leading into the main pipe.
Did you forget to take into consideration that once turds and organisms start using the new pipe, it's slipperiness will fade rather quickly- especially once you've snaked it with an auger. Those things basically act like sandpaper, ensuring the inner pipe remains rough for the rest of it's service life. Just curious if you've had any issues with big dumps or large wads of toilet paper etc. clogging the new line? Thanks in advance
Thanks for sharing video
Things like this that keeps civilization going for a better quality of life.
OMG, no wonder modern plumbers charge so much, this is like a surgeon implanting a stent into an artery. The wonders of technology. Another great video from this old house.
And it costs between 60 and 80 thousand dollars
60 to 80 k to do this repair?
No...the cost of the machine.
@joeelsaesser1659 it's a gun, roller and a shop made air manifold. It's like 10k worth of equipment. You're paying for the skill of the operator, the rest is overhead and inflated prices.
Keep in mind you are making your sewer line's inner diameter about a half inch to 3/4 inches less than the old one, which may have already been undersized. On top of that, if the old lines had any sags, those will now be exaggerated by the newer smaller pipe. Bottom line, I would be very weary of allowing this expensive method, probably only as a last result. 3 inch pipe is questionable. Going down to 2.5 inches or less seems like border line insanity.
Simply unique invention!
Wow nice video, Thank you for sharing !!!
Amazingly smart technology! Thanks for sharing!
REALLY slick... I'm very impressed...
Porsche924Tim Cities and municipalities across the US are using this system for the largest of pipes too.
This is amazing!
Nobody gonna mention the traffic cone funnel at 2:30? 🤣
Sometimes improvising does better job than the actual tool. Sounds weird till you have tried it.
I can't believe not single person besides you has commented on it.
The traffice cone funnel is quite hilarious though.
Well thats typical roto rooter tools, probably has a 60% markup to use it too. LOL
Was it taken off the street from a construction zone?
@@MrBeast9000 oh that's funny
Ingenious setup.
RIP Chuck Berry, Thank you everything you’ve done for me and being a great boss.
The inventor of this! Has saved so many people thousands!! 👍🏽
the inventor of this is lined with insurance money so they win lawsuits with trench-less repair quotes. sad thing is, it does not work with certain cast iron issues LOL
No matter what the situation is, you are down stepping the inner diameter of your sewer line by at least 1/2 inch, and any sags or kinks in the old line will now be exaggerated by the new smaller sock liner. Plus this is not an inexpensive fix by any means. I smell a lot of law suits against these companies in the future, no pun intended.
“It’s hard and it’s ready to go.” That’s what she said!
Figured that would be more likely something He said. 🤷🏽♂️
That's exactly what she said!!!
Hahahahaha oh man this is so good!
Im still LOL 😆
lmfao!
Oh my god fantastic work
That's amazing!
Technology is wonderful, especially when it saves time, money and stress. The sewer pipe liner and bladder to expand the liner to conform to the old CPVC sewer line is an ingenious design. The only thing that would worry me a bit is the epoxy curing time running out before being able to fill the bladder with water through the manifold system. Great video as usual from This Old House. Thanks you guys and thanks Rich :-)
Zoya Awolowo you can modify the mixture to cook off faster or slower to adjust for ambient tempature. However you'd better hope you have a well seasoned technician installing yours because If it collapses under your home....your in for a nightmare. Lived that life
@@nexusone5584 What happened? Were they insured and payed for their mistakes?
@@michaelpalacio103 it used to be that you had to either dig it up, or use blades on a Sr. Cable or a warthog nozzle on a jetter and beat on the closed end until it opens. If the entire line collapses then the installing company eats the cost to dig, repair and backfill. There is now a robot that can be remotely sent down line with a 360 degree cutting apparatus... the machine is over 100k.
Who said it was saving money?
@@la-ia1404 I did. 🙂
Trenchless pipe lining: relining your damaged lateral or sewer pipe will typically cost $80-250 per foot, with an average of around $160 per foot. For standard sewer lines, repair costs can vary between $4,000 and $20,000, depending on circumstance.
Simply Amazing.
this is the coolest plumbing vid ever
I highly recommend Pipe Patch for small sections of pipe that need to be repaired, much easier process. Also for anyone considering this.. this is actually more expensive then jack hammering up the floor and replacing the pipe
No it's not
@@dirtymikeandtheboyz2570 Where I live it is …
sewer pipe angioplasty??
Upper endoscopy. I saw the trailer.
As a contractor I stopped laughing a long time ago. People spend more on wall paper than they do on radon mitigation, or serious maintenance. Who said, "Make sure you have a good-looking corpse"? Half the houses in southern California are 40 to 50 years old. If you wanted an efficient vehicle from a car that was that old, would you start with a '74 Eldorado?
Actually, I remember just after the first oil crisis (1971) when GM put "selective firing" systems (didn't have software) into their front-drive, V8's like the Olds Toronado, and the "Eldo". A friend put a snow plow on one. You could pick them out easily, they were the vehicles abandoned at traffic lights, stalled from too rich carburetion, from idling on four cylinders.
This is beautiful technology and invention
Brilliant invention
The boys from This Old House are at it again this time with sewer pipe issues from tree roots encroaching on the old clay sewer pipe. The liner is the way to go with trenchless sewer line repair.
Are you one of those weird fan boys or something?
After watching this video I knew the comments were gonna be gold. lol
Brilliant!!!
This is ingenious
My house's sewer line has some roots but still pretty decent so instead of spending thousand of dollars to repair/replace it, I use ROEBIC foaming root killers and ZEP Root killer to flushed down to the pipe once a year and this is the 2nd year we are free of clogs since.
That's a fine piece of equipment
Wow That's Awesome 👏👍👌🙌
This was a great way to introduce, a not yet patented equipment
How does this handle branch lines? Most of the replacements/repairs we do have multiple branches connecting to the main line.
All taps have to be cut out either by the rover, or by cable machines with Chuck modified to accept a wholesaw
Brilliant! I am curious how the system will hold up against roots in the future & also can the new liner be rootered without being damaged if a clog presents itself later on..?
It holds up very well to roots, since there are no joints or "seams", roots are unable to penetrate. As for crush resistance, the pipe is actually stronger than it was initially because it now has, not only the structural integrity of the original pipe but also the rigidity of the new line. Typically the sidewalls of a 4 inch Liner is somewhere in the 1/4inch realm. The only thing that would be any stronger, would be hdpe. When it comes to maintenance, you can clean them with all forms of drain cleaning machines, free from worry or damage, that being said you should never have a reason to clean a re-lined pipe again, as long as it was installed correctly by a trained/seasoned technician. It is truly a great system however it's application is not the answer for everything.
@@nexusone5584 thank you!
@@datdude_jcole9275 No problem! I have re-lined many pipes during my time with roto-rooter and have had the privilege of working directly with paul (technician in the video) and cannot stress enough how much the experience of the technician installing the line matters. Only certain lines are the right candidate for this system.
That a brilliant idea.
Wow amazing machine
Always love a good detailed video. We have similar ones on our channel
What is the name of this Plumbing Company? Are all Plumbing Companies aware of this technique? Great job.
J Lister yes they are all aware of this technique... but it sucks since it’s more expensive than a proper fix
Amazing!
Verrrrry interesting!
Really cool, How much does this procedure cost. I Have a rental house with the root issue and want to know what my best, most affordable option is to fix the clogging and deteriorating sewer line.
Holly fluxs. Who came up with that 1. That's pretty cool
Awesome.
Nice little diy project.
Great video .
My question is what do you do if there are t junctions running off the straight section?
Is there a clean-out at the junction?
@@roseymalino9855 No.
thats probably an instance where you would definately need to do some digging
There's a method where measurements are made where the junctions are located and holes are cut inside the liner at the junctions. Bigger companies usually spend the money for the equipment to do it this way.
Thanks for the video. Has this process/system have a name?
The Ol' Sock Pufferoo
@@ashh3051 LOL
great job..
I'm a plumber but never really saw that kind of video. First of my life
No more employees asking, “has anyone seen the funnel?”
What kind of costs for this service?
Incredible
Awesome!!!
When it's hard, it's ready to go 😃
Just be aware that the diameter of the pipe is reduced with this method Which can make some pipes more prone to clogging.. Good video. Thx
By roughly 1/4".
Pretty high tech solution!
Genius!
@ThisOldHouse; I truly wish that when you made these videos that you also gave approximate costs. That way, a homeowner could know what to expect and not be swindled.
Usually they show the best way but also more than likely the most expensive way
My sewer line is backed up and my trap is under concrete in my basement . Roto rooter gave me a quote of $1200 to drill through the concrete and snake the trap.
@diver dave I do you one better! Give me half of that and I help you with a plastic teaspoon. 😅
Don Guille this is not the best way. It’s the worse way
I would have hydro jetted that line the blasted it with foaming root killer.
Is trenchless the only permanent solution other than digging up and installing new piping?
One cool tool!
that is genius!
We have this system where i use to work, we normally charge clients between $8,000 up to $20,000 depends on length of the pipe and how bad its condition.
Jerry Menace what’s the system or machine called
@@willieg8224 Trenchless relining
Dudes face when he grabbed the camera 😂😂😂
which dude? i didn't see anything out of the ordinary
That's amazing
That is amazing
I love how the owner grabs the camara with no gloves when that camara has been in a lot of sewer line and just fwi dont call roto rooter they rob you blind
They charge 250 for 3 minutes work,insane
They charge that cause of 20 years of practice my friend. Is your drain flowing? Lol
Mr. Rooter proposed to clear aand repair my drain for 8k. They didn't know I was in the trades so I had some coworkers do it. Even their diagnosis was wrong and I was able to fix it in about 2 hours for 150 bucks. It helps to know people but c'mon! They will rob you blind
@@johnsmith-wc8gs
Piffle on stilts.
I need to get this done for that price
Back in the day I had roots in my drain pipes. I rented the tool and removed the roots myself. After that I found a local company to perform the task every two or three years. It was fairly cheap. I never had an issue after that. The first time I did it I removed pretty much a root forest, the pipes were very old. It worked out fine in the end.
the same here.
Eventually you’ll get a misalignment or cracking as the roots tend to grow back more aggressively
Thats really cool
amazing
A cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) is one of several trenchless rehabilitation methods used to repair existing pipelines. CIPP is a jointless, seamless, pipe-within-a-pipe with the capability to rehabilitate pipes ranging in diameter from 0.1-2.8 meter (4"-110"). As one of the most widely used rehabilitation methods CIPP has application in water, sewer, gas, and chemical pipelines.
Typically a plumber will charge $25,000 too big of a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house and replace the pipes that includes the concrete replacement, but it does not include the floor covering replacement such as tile, marble or carpet . If the pipe lining company has to travel far to do a small dollar job, they will have minimum mobilization costs, typically $3000-$5000. This would be the smallest size job they would do for a certain travel distance.
Orlando Alberty thats true we do charge around that amount
(1) will it fail after the pipe it is installed in fails due to age?
(2) how easy is it to repair if it fails after the pipe it is installed in fails?
(3) what is the cost of the repair if it fails?
(4) is it a good solution to use in neighborhoods that still have terracota pipes going from the house to the sewer?
thank you from five years in the future. i assumed but i wasnt sure how big the diameter this would work at
I have a lot of questions from this method. 1. How thick is that new line of pipe? Wont it bother the flow? 2. How did they connect it to the old line? 3. Will the roots wont bother that type of material? Please bear with me. I just want to learn this type of method.
IS VERY EASY MY FRIEND THE CONECT TO DRAIN AGAIN BUT THE GUYS CHARGE ALOT MONEY FOR LINING
1. 4"
2. it does not bother the flow at all
3. It expands and creates a "new" pipe within the old one
4. They have no chance against that epoxy once it hardens
1:The new line is 1/4" not 4". Flow will generally increase, the inside of the new line has a slick finish.
2: The new line is still housed withing the existing line, so you simply cut the now fused pipe flush and connect with the appropriate coupling.
3: There are no seams in the newly lined section of pipe therefore, those areas are virtually impervious to root intrusion.
wow that's cool
brilliant
Does this work for a cast iron pipe inside a house?
Just saw a good question in the comments.
What does happen if you have to have the pipe snaked?
Is there a special head that has to be used?
TII
Nope, common blade work just fine, even hydro jetting.
Would love to do this. Quality work as well
nick ziemba don’t do it. Take it from me a real plumber. That’s a polak way of handling situations like that. That method is far from efficient and even if it does work all it does is decrease the inside diameter of the pipe. Just pay the money and get the job done the right way.
It works in the right scenario and only reduces ID of pipe by 1/4th of an inch, not enough to worry about. Take it from someone who is certified to apply this technology and train others in it.
@@jaylopez6281 What is "the right way"? Tear up the house entirely and put in new pipes from scratch?
THIS IS AWESOME! I NEED THEM
Nic Medalla no this actually a terrible method of repair
@@glynnpellegrin2617 Why do you say that?
Shay Rollins because there are much better liners out there and for what it cost to have it lined you can pretty much have it dig up and replaced even if it’s under a slab
4:38
... ive seen how this movie ends :O
Impressive. I'm wondering about degradation of the material over time and if dangerous chemicals can enter the water treatment facilities and perhaps not be cleaned up before discharging into water systems?
No more dangerous than liquid plumber over and over and over.
This method sounds more ideal for sewer pipes
Ingenious
Can you make a video on replacing seal boards on the middle floor of a house? From seal board erosion, that's anchored to the deck?
What about snaking it in the future? Will it hold up to my sectional snake that has a 1 1/4 cable...or will cut right through it?
If I can't clear a clogged you got a problem
The manufacturer does not recommend snaking lined mainline and jetting is highly recommended for any future backups. Personally, a cured lines is stronger than ABS and the chances of a blade cutting through the liner while rubbing against is very slim. Just to cut through a collapsed or tie ins liner, you need a picote to grind it out. Maybe i will make a video demonstrating such
Probably pricey, but better than all that digging, replacing pipe and putting things back to the way they were.
I’ve worked with chuck for 10 plus years. He’s a great guy
Nice, is paul still with Pro pipe or did he leave?
nexus oneI left PROPIPE 5 years ago
@@paulperez9571damn I just saw this! Paul is this legit you?
That's really neat tech
What happens at the end of the replacement pipe? How does it terminate. If it is just cut off, won't things get stuck when they hit the edge of the new pipe?
I would assume you'd terminate where the pipe enlarges, eliminating any chance of causing a hangup.
Just wait until there's a clog in the future and Roto Rooter comes in with a sawtooth blade and sectional machine. Goodbye 1/16" thick sleeve! I have a basement so I'd not hesitate to replace the pipe with new. But I'm also not concerned about that quantity of roots either.
that is awesome
AWSOME
Great video! I'm curious... how much does the new liner reduce the I.D. of the existing pipe?
Does the (fractional) reduction of the the I.D. cause any concerns with code requirements?
I wouldn't think so, but thought I'd ask.
TII
Simple answer is no it will not cause any concerns with code requirements. It will make the system work better as it greatly reduces the friction
The inner diameter is decreased by 1/4in. For those interested in learning the steps to shooting a liner, check out MIKEYTHEROOKIEPLUMBER here on youtube.
Who cares, asking as the pipes fixed. what they don't know doesn't hurt them.
@@bossudude420 makes absolutely no difference.
no it does not
If possible, I'd recommend a SDR pipe burst as liners can fail and do not last against being snaked. Liners are just coating the problem and the roots are still inside the system. Mother nature will win over time, expanding the liner between the cast iron/clay/abs pipe and causing a blockage.
the roots are definitely NOT inside the system once a liner is installed. The liner is the system and that epoxy makes them hard AF. Highly doubt they would fail during our lifetimes
@@HarryGoulding I’ve seen it more than once.
@@FelonyRecords seen it hundreds of times myself in the UK, chamber to chamber liners are ok, but these patch lines cause more issues than good over time.
How do I find out more about this in my area? Just to see if it is around here or not, great thing to know about!
Wow great process.. seems like it would cost a lot. Maybe I will stick to my roots....
My roommate called the Smell Good Plumber while I was out of town working. I flew back to speak to these plumbers, they wanted to dig up my yard to replace pipe $10,000 plus $1200 to drain the Hazardous water from the bath tub. Hahahahaha what criminals!
why was it hazardous water? was there drain-o in it?
10k might be a little too much but it sounds about right, I’ve been a plumber for 12 years and this method of “replacing pipe” I’ve never seen, it must be because it sucks, and imagine how expansive this is. It’ll probably e cheaper just to brake and replace the whole thing,
Now about draining the liquid idk about that, that might be a rip off
Never buy a house without a basement and you won't have to worry about ripping up your concrete slab to make a sewer line repair.
With or without a basement?
Yeah but then you have to maintain the basement which is way more expensive anyways. Water always gets inside.
A lot of places don't have basements. California being one.
I have to say that system is very cool. I bet it’s expansive
We need that in New Zealand