Trenchless methods
Pipe Bursting in Media
A bursting head splits the old pipe while pulling new HDPE pipe in behind it, through two small pits.
How pipe bursting works
A steel cable is threaded through the old sewer line from a pit at one end to a pit at the other. A cone-shaped bursting head, with new high-density polyethylene pipe fused to it, is pulled through by a hydraulic unit. The head splits the old clay or cast iron outward into the soil and the new pipe follows in the same alignment at the same depth. The result is a single fused length of pipe with no joints for roots to find.
When bursting is the right call
- Collapsed sections — a liner needs a host pipe to hold its shape; a collapsed run has none.
- Bellies — a low spot that holds water stays a low spot after lining. Bursting lays new pipe on a fresh bed.
- Undersized lines — bursting can upsize a 3-inch lateral to 4 inches; lining slightly reduces diameter.
- Badly deformed pipe — Orangeburg that has flattened, or cast iron with most of its bottom gone.
What the job looks like
One pit at the house or cleanout, one at the property line or the street connection, each a few feet square. Utilities that cross within a foot or two of the sewer path are located and potholed first. The pull takes an hour or two; the whole job, including fusing, connections, inspection and backfill, is usually one day.
Permits and the street
If the downstream pit is in the sidewalk, parkway or street, a right-of-way permit and restoration to city standards are required in addition to the plumbing permit. If the connection at the main is replaced, the city inspects it before the pit closes. Confirm who is handling this before work starts.
Estimates are free. Call now: (877) 739-3789.
Pipe Bursting by city in Delaware County
Local conditions, the ZIP codes covered and how to reach the contractor for each city.
- Pipe Bursting Media
- Pipe Bursting Aston Township
- Pipe Bursting Bethel Township
- Pipe Bursting Chadds Ford Township
- Pipe Bursting Chester Township
- Pipe Bursting Concord Township
- Pipe Bursting Darby Township
- Pipe Bursting Edgmont Township
- Pipe Bursting Haverford Township
- Pipe Bursting Lower Chichester Township
- Pipe Bursting Marple Township
- Pipe Bursting Middletown Township
- Pipe Bursting Nether Providence Township
- Pipe Bursting Newtown Township
- Pipe Bursting Radnor Township
- Pipe Bursting Ridley Township
- Pipe Bursting Springfield Township
- Pipe Bursting Thornbury Township
- Pipe Bursting Tinicum Township
- Pipe Bursting Upper Chichester Township
- Pipe Bursting Upper Darby Township
- Pipe Bursting Upper Providence Township
- Pipe Bursting Ardmore
- Pipe Bursting Boothwyn
- Pipe Bursting Broomall
- Pipe Bursting Drexel Hill
- Pipe Bursting Folsom
- Pipe Bursting Haverford College
- Pipe Bursting Lima
- Pipe Bursting Linwood
- Pipe Bursting Village Green-Green Ridge
- Pipe Bursting Woodlyn
- Pipe Bursting Aldan
- Pipe Bursting Brookhaven
- Pipe Bursting Chester Heights
- Pipe Bursting Clifton Heights
- Pipe Bursting Collingdale
- Pipe Bursting Colwyn
- Pipe Bursting Darby
- Pipe Bursting East Lansdowne
- Pipe Bursting Eddystone
- Pipe Bursting Folcroft
- Pipe Bursting Glenolden
- Pipe Bursting Lansdowne
- Pipe Bursting Marcus Hook
- Pipe Bursting Millbourne
- Pipe Bursting Morton
- Pipe Bursting Norwood
- Pipe Bursting Parkside
- Pipe Bursting Prospect Park
- Pipe Bursting Ridley Park
- Pipe Bursting Rose Valley
- Pipe Bursting Rutledge
- Pipe Bursting Sharon Hill
- Pipe Bursting Swarthmore
- Pipe Bursting Trainer
- Pipe Bursting Upland
- Pipe Bursting Yeadon