Trenchless Sewer Repair in Calgary, AB

Our Calgary Trenchless Sewer Repair Service

Here’s the thing about sewer repair and replacement that makes it so difficult—your sewer lines are located underground. Depending on where your busted lines are, you may be able to dig a fairly shallow trench in your backyard to access it. Alternatively, it may be located deep beneath your Calgary home, making it much more inaccessible and requiring extensive excavation. Using traditional methods for sewer line replacement, your basement’s flooring would need to be removed to access the damage. Not only is this disruptive, but it can also be incredibly costly.

This is where trenchless methods come in. When possible, our expert plumbers will conduct trenchless sewer line repairs that require minimal excavation. Instead of digging a massive hole at the site of the broken pipe, the trenchless method entails digging a much smaller hole to reach an easier-to-access pipe that is connected to the damaged area. There are two main trenchless pipe repair methods that we use:

• Pipe relining. Also called structural pipe lining, this trenchless method involves creating a new pipe by lining the inside of your existing one with a soft, flexible sleeve that has been soaked in an epoxy solution. Though this sleeve is soft when inserted, over a few hours, it will harden completely, thereby creating a brand-new pipe.
• Pipe bursting. For pipes with more damage, we’ll use this trenchless repair method. When already damaged to the point where they are no longer holding their shape, they need more than an epoxy liner. Instead, we’ll pull a brand-new pipe through the old one and use hydraulics to fully break apart the original, leaving the new one in its place. This trenchless method is technically a minimally invasive replacement process.

Whether you need pipe relining or bursting, the combination of our tools, equipment, and plumbing knowledge will get the job done right as quickly and efficiently as possible. Some of the specialized trenchless technology tools we use to achieve this include:

• A video camera that can be inserted into the pipe to observe the extent of damage, as well as determine the length of pipe that needs to be repaired or replaced.
• A winch with a bursting head attachment to pull a new pipe through the old one and break up the original pipe around it.

Top Causes of Broken Sewer Lines

Many of our customers hear about Calgary trenchless sewer repair and wonder how they could possibly know if they need this service. While hairline cracks in your underground sewer lines can develop without any warning signs, over time, the problem will always let you know it exists.

If you live in a relatively new home in Calgary, you can be fairly certain that your sewer lines are in good working order—for the time being at least. However, if your Calgary home is a few decades old or more, there’s a much higher chance that something could go wrong. Some common causes of cracked or leaking sewer lines include:

Tree root intrusion. Did you know that tree roots extend horizontally between two to three times the height of its canopy? This means that twenty-year-old weeping willow tree in your neighbour’s backyard likely has roots on your Calgary property that you aren’t even aware of. Contrary to popular belief, tree roots do not cause damage to underground lines but instead exacerbate an existing problem. Roots are naturally attracted to water, oxygen, and nutrients. A sewer line with a hairline fracture will release the former and the latter into the soil, attracting the root and causing it to pry the hole open further.

Frequent freezing and thawing. While Calgarians like to boast about their weather in comparison to their snowier and often colder neighbours up in Edmonton, we get our fair share of severe Canadian weather, too. In fact, the temperature in Calgary can change drastically at the drop of a hat, causing multiple periods of thawing and freezing to occur each year. Depending on the material of your pipes, this process can cause them to age and deteriorate more quickly than you might expect.

Incorrect installation. Even if you’ve recently moved into a newly built home in Calgary, leaking sewer lines are still a possibility. If they weren’t installed correctly during construction, their joints might become loose, resulting in leaks. As part of our trenchless methods, the plumbing inspection camera will help determine the state of the original installation.

If you see any of the following warning signs, you need Calgary trenchless sewer repair due to deteriorating pipes or tree root invasions, it’s time to invest in professional plumbing services in Calgary.

• Slow drainage. Is your sink or tub draining very slowly in Calgary? This may be because a tree root has caused a clog in your drains and the wastewater has nowhere else to go.

• Gurgling sounds when flushing. When your plumbing’s pressure is altered, air will be pushed back up the drain, causing a gurgling sound.
  
  
• Unpleasant odours. This one’s pretty obvious. Nauseating smells coming from places that they shouldn’t be is a big warning sign that you have a plumbing emergency. Choosing to ignore the smell could result in a sewer backup, which is the last thing you want.

• Puddles in your yard. If you’ve noticed water puddling in your grass in one particular area, there may be a leaky pipe located nearby. Greener grass in one area also indicates a compromised sewer line. As gross as it is, sewer line leaks make great fertilizers.

Broken Sewer Line Prevention

When in need of trenchless sewer repair, Calgary plumbers have you covered! As much as our expert team loves helping our customers out with these challenging repairs, we’d rather you didn’t need our trenchless sewer repair in Calgary at all. However, we’re big advocates of preventative maintenance. By taking a few cost-saving steps, you can save yourself the stress and expense of unexpected plumbing breakdowns.

One of the best ways to catch plumbing problems before they get out of hand is with a plumbing video camera inspection. Calgary plumbers use this completely non-invasive inspection method to detect damage on the interior and determine material and age. Combined with acoustic listening equipment, we also use it to detect leaks that need to be repaired before they deteriorate and before you spend money on months of higher-than-usual utility bills.

Another popular trenchless method that involves cleaning is our HydroScrub® Jetting. Using a highly pressurized stream of water, we’ll clean out your pipes so thoroughly that they’ll look like new. Clean, well-maintained pipes will help increase the lifespan of your overall plumbing system.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Calgary Is A Leader In Trenchless Sewer Repair

Calgary is a big city with tons of plumbing contractors and plumbing companies. You may be wondering then, what does our professional team have to offer what other businesses don’t besides trenchless sewer repair?

If we had to sum it up in one phrase, we’d say that the Mr. Rooter Plumbing difference is peace of mind. When you choose our reliable Calgary plumbers for your plumbing needs, you get:

• Services provided by expert, highly qualified plumbers who are fully licensed and insured.
• Upfront, flat rate pricing, so you know exactly what to expect on your final invoice.
• No overtime charges. Our upfront pricing is just that—100 percent upfront.
• Workmanship guarantee. We’re sure you’ll be fully satisfied with our quality of work, but in the rare case that you aren’t, you have our guarantee that we’ll come straight back and make things right.
• Parts guarantee. Similarly, if the parts used fail, give us a call, and we’ll replace them.
• Exceptional customer service. There’s a reason our brand has expanded to over 200 locations over our 50-year history. Our commitment to serving our customers has helped us develop a reputation for outstanding customer satisfaction, which you’ll experience for yourself when you use our services for the first time, and every time thereafter!

Trenchless Sewer Repair: Calgary FAQs

Can I Perform Trenchless Sewer Repairs On My Own?

Unfortunately, trenchless sewer line repair cannot be done on your own, nor do we promote trying to do so. Both pipe relining and hydraulic replacement (bursting) require the use of expensive equipment that almost no homeowners in Calgary readily have access to. While you could go out and try to purchase a winch and bursting head attachment, it’s much more cost effective to hire an expert who already has all the equipment required to do the job efficiently.

Plus, our Calgary plumbers are licensed and insured. Sometimes, unexpected problems can arise during the repair process, and if you’re not trained to deal with these as they come up, you could wind up with even more extensive damage. Using an insured plumber will protect you financially in situations such as these.

Getting the repair done correctly is also a priority, as you don’t want to have to mess around trying to fix plumbing lines that were incorrectly repaired by you just a few years ago. When you use our dependable plumbing services, you can rest easy knowing the job will be done right the first time. And if it’s not? Let us know within 90 days of repair service or one year of a replacement service, and we’ll be back to fix it.

How Long Does Pipe Relining Last?

Worried that relining won’t last long and you’ll have to call us in for another trenchless repair repeat in the near future? Don’t be! Though it’s just a flimsy sleeve that goes into the pipe in this trenchless process, the hardened epoxy resin is incredibly durable.

After our trenchless repair job, you can expect your newly relined section to last for a good 50 years, if not longer. This makes this method one of the most cost effective trenchless sewer repair Calgary plumbers can offer today.

Is Pine Relining or Pipe Replacement Better?

The simplest answer? Neither! Both trenchless repair methods are incredibly popular and effective. They’re called trenchless sewer repair services for a good reason. The one that is best for your damaged sewer line depends on the cause and extent of damage.

Generally, we’ll try to use the relining method where we can. It’s one of the easiest sewer repair methods available, and it’s generally quite cost effective. However, to work properly, the existing pipe must be somewhat intact. The epoxy-soaked sleeve uses the existing pipe as a mould, and without it, the sleeve would not harden in the correct shape. In this case, we’d recommend using hydraulic pipe bursting instead, as you’ll have a much better result.

How Much Do Trenchless Sewer Repairs in Calgary Cost?

The cost of trenchless sewer repairs in Calgary varies considerably in cost, depending on the location of the pipe repair, the length that needs to be repaired, and supply chain disruptions at the time of service.

That being said, a recent survey found that most Calgarians paid between $75 and $150 per foot for trenchless relining and between $65 and $125 per foot for hydraulic replacement.

If these costs seem steeper than what you expected, take into consideration the cost of traditional sewer repair using a trench. Most traditional sewer repairs cost between $100 and $175 per foot, but the deeper the trench needs to go, the more expensive it will be. It’s not uncommon to spend $250 per foot on sewer repair using traditional methods. Feel free to give us a call about our trenchless sewer repair services.

Call Mr. Rooter Plumbing for Trenchless Sewer Repair in Calgary Today!

Suspect you have a sewer line leak or clog? Don’t wait for your problem to get worse—book a service appointment with our local plumbing pros in Calgary today! Whether you’re located in Haysboro, Acadia, Altadore, or any other area in the city, we’ll strive to schedule you in for service at a time that’s convenient for you.

Not sure what’s causing your plumbing problems? We’ll also be happy to perform an inspection of your plumbing system to identify the cause of your issue. Simply give us a call at or fill out our online form to request an appointment for an in-person job estimate. We’re ready to provide you with a wide range of professional services for plumbing repairs, from trenchless sewer repair to leaking pipe repair and routine services for clogged drains.