PDF guide
The Owner’s Guide to Trenchless Rehabilitation
What boards, property managers, and facility directors need to know about the pipes they own, before the pipes decide for them.
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Guides, FAQs + explainers
Resources on CIPP
Education and guidance on infrastructure rehabilitation, for owners, managers, and specifiers.
PDF guides
Infrastructure Guides
PDF guide
Specifier’s Handbook, CIPP & Epoxy Lining
Condition assessment, design, specification, and acceptance of trenchless rehabilitation in occupied buildings.
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Topic by topic
How CIPP Works
01How CIPP Works
A resin-saturated liner is installed inside the existing pipe and cured in place, forming a new pipe within the old one, without full replacement. Work is performed from existing access points where possible; some projects require small access pits.
- Design life
- 50 years
- Warranty
- 10 years
- Diameters
- 2 to 84 in
- Runs
- 4 to 1,000 ft
02What Is a Riser in Plumbing?
Risers are the vertical pipes that carry water and waste between floors. Because every floor above depends on them, a failure low in the stack affects the whole building.
- Where
- Vertical stacks
- Risk
- Cascading failure
03How Pipe Condition Is Graded
Every pipe section gets a 1-to-5 condition grade, from new to failing, then a risk weight that reflects what a failure there would affect.
- Scale
- 1 to 5
- Weighted by
- System risk
04Cleaning Before Lining
Hydro jetting and mechanical cleaning remove grease, scale, and debris so pipes can be inspected accurately and lined properly.
- Jetting
- High pressure
- Cleaning
- Mechanical
05Reinstatement After Lining
Once a liner cures, robotic cutters reopen each branch connection from inside the pipe, returning the system to full service.
- Tool
- Robotic cutters
- Access
- From inside the pipe
Articles and explainers
Resource Library
Page 1 of 2
Common questions
FAQ
01How long does a CIPP liner last?
CIPP liners are engineered for a 50-year design life and backed by a 10-year warranty.
02Do you have to dig to line a pipe?
Usually not. Most lining is performed from existing access points like cleanouts, roof vents, and access panels. Some projects require small access pits, and underground runs that connect to a municipal main can require excavation. Scope and access are confirmed during the evaluation, before any work is proposed.
03What pipe sizes can be lined?
We line pipe from 2 to 84 inches in diameter, in runs from 4 to 1,000 feet.
04How much can CIPP save compared to replacement?
CIPP rehabilitation typically costs 40 to 75% less than conventional dig-and-replace.
05What is Infrastructure Intelligence?
Our evaluation program: the system is mapped, inspected by camera, and every pipe section is graded 1 to 5, weighted by system risk, and turned into a prioritized action plan.
06What is no-dig pipe repair?
No-dig, or trenchless, pipe repair rehabilitates a failing pipe from the inside instead of excavating and replacing it. The most common method is Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) lining, which forms a new pipe inside the existing one. Most work is done from existing access points. Some projects still need small access pits, which the evaluation identifies before any work is proposed.
07Can a sewer line be repaired without excavation?
Often, yes, or with far less excavation than replacement. Building drain and sewer lines can usually be lined from cleanouts, roof vents, or access panels. Lines with no usable access point may need a small access pit, and connections to a municipal main can require excavation at the street.
08Is trenchless pipe repair cheaper than replacement?
Trenchless rehabilitation typically costs 40 to 75 percent less than excavating and replacing the same line, before counting the restoration and disruption it avoids. The evaluation gives you the actual scope and cost for your building.
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