Cure-In-Place Pipe Lining (CIPP) | Trenchless Sewer Lining

Trenchless sewer repair may let you restore a damaged line without digging up the whole yard. Drain Edge Rooter provides honest plumber and drain service in Rialto and throughout the Inland Empire.

Call (909) 927-3194 to talk with a drain pro.

What is cure-in-place pipe lining?

Cure-in-place pipe lining, or CIPP, installs a resin liner inside an existing sewer pipe. The liner is formed to the old pipe and cured in place, creating a new pipe within the old one. It is a trenchless option, not a promise that every pipe can be lined.

When can lining help?

CIPP can be useful for certain cracks, small offsets, corrosion, or repeated root intrusion when the existing line has a usable path and adequate access. It may reduce excavation, landscaping disruption, and restoration compared with a full dig-up replacement.

When is dig-up replacement better?

Severe collapse, major separation, a badly misaligned section, poor access, or a line that cannot be cleaned and prepared may call for excavation and replacement. A camera inspection and condition assessment come first so you can compare realistic options.

Note on Orangeburg pipe: Orangeburg pipe (tar-paper sewer pipe common in 1940s–60s homes) can’t be lined. Once it’s found, it has to be dug up and replaced.

Our process in plain English

1. Inspect the sewer with a camera and locate the problem.
2. Clean the line so roots, buildup, and debris are removed.
3. Measure and prepare a liner sized for the pipe.
4. Insert, position, and cure the resin liner.
5. Confirm the finished line and explain care and next steps.

Talk through your sewer repair options

We will explain what we can see, what is uncertain, and whether lining or dig-up work makes sense. Call (909) 927-3194 for honest plumber and drain help in Rialto and the Inland Empire.

Is my sewer line a candidate for CIPP lining?

Lining works best on a pipe that still has its shape. Cracked clay, root-infiltrated joints, pinhole corrosion in cast iron, and minor offsets are the classic good candidates. In much of the Inland Empire, homes built before the 1970s still have original clay or cast-iron laterals, and those are the lines we line most often. A pipe that has collapsed, has a deep belly where water and waste sit, or has a joint that has separated by more than the liner can bridge usually needs a section dug up first, and sometimes the whole line replaced. The camera footage decides, not a sales script.

What we check before recommending a liner

• Pipe diameter and material: most residential laterals are 4-inch clay, cast iron, Orangeburg, or ABS. Each prepares and bonds differently.
• Length and bends: liners handle gentle bends well. Several tight 90-degree turns can limit the options.
• Access: lining needs a usable cleanout or an access point. If there isn’t one, we may install a cleanout first.
• Branch connections: any lateral tying into the line has to be reopened after lining, which we plan for ahead of time.
• Root mass and debris: roots and scale must be fully removed with cutting and hydro jetting so the liner bonds to clean pipe.

How long does a lined pipe last?

A properly installed epoxy or resin liner is commonly rated for decades of service, and it is seamless along its length, so roots have no joints to work into. The new inside surface is smooth, which helps flow and reduces the snags that catch grease and paper. Lining does slightly reduce the inside diameter, but in a typical 4-inch residential line the improvement in smoothness usually more than makes up for it.

Typical timeline

Most residential lining jobs are done in one day: inspection and cleaning in the morning, liner installation and cure, then a final camera run so you can see the finished pipe. Depending on the resin, the line is usually back in service the same day. Compare that with a dig-up replacement, which can mean trenching through yards, driveways, or patios and several days of restoration.

Cost factors

Price depends on the length of the line, the pipe diameter, the number of branch connections to reopen, how much cleaning the pipe needs, and whether a cleanout must be added. Lining is not always cheaper than digging on a short, easy-to-reach section. It is often the better value when the pipe runs under hardscape, mature landscaping, or a slab. We price both options in writing so you can compare.

Permits and documentation

We handle any required permits and give you the before-and-after camera video. That record is useful when you sell, refinance, or need to show a buyer or insurer that the sewer has been addressed.

Questions we hear about trenchless lining

Can you line under my house?

Often, yes, if the line is accessible and in reasonable shape. Lining under a slab is one of the biggest advantages of CIPP, because it avoids breaking up floors.

Will roots come back?

Roots enter through joints and cracks. A continuous liner has neither, so root intrusion in the lined section should stop.

What if the camera shows lining won’t work?

We will tell you plainly and price a spot repair or replacement instead. See video camera pipe inspection to start.

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CIPP sewer lining by city

• CIPP Sewer Lining in Rialto, CA — Trenchless lining for Rialto sewer laterals, from our shop at 619 E South St.
• CIPP Sewer Lining in Fontana, CA
• CIPP Sewer Lining in San Bernardino, CA
• CIPP Sewer Lining in Colton, CA
• CIPP Sewer Lining in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Real trenchless sewer work

Photos from our local plumbing and sewer projects.

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