A Calgary based Cured in Place Pipe (CIPP) lining contractor installed a residential liner in an older home’s sewer main. The contractor conducted a camera inspection of the sewer system prior to installing the liner, however they didn’t notice that there was a branch connection in the sewer main. About a day after the liner was installed, the next door neighbours experienced a sewer backup in their extensively renovated, historic home.

The neighbours with the backup (Homeowners) knew that their neighbour (Original Client) had just had their sewer relined and suspected that the backup was caused by the new liner. The CIPP contractor was called back to do a video inspection of their work and see if they could determine what was causing the Homeowners’ backup. Upon video inspection, it was evident that the liner was bulging out into a branch connection about thirty (30) feet into the sewer.

The CIPP lining contractor didn’t have any tools or experience to cut out the lined over branch connection using trenchless techniques. They were going to have to excavate at the point of the branch connection, cut out the existing sewer branch and install a new sewer branch fitting to alleviate the complete blockage. The Calgary based CIPP lining contractor was able to locate above ground where the branch connection was – directly below the Homeowners’ front porch. This meant that the front porch of the Homeowners’ house would have to be demolished to excavate down to the branch connection and replace it.

To make matters worse, this was all happening a week before Christmas and the Homeowners had planned a large Christmas celebration with out of town relatives. The Homeowners were also having to stay in a hotel since the sewer backup occurred at their house and their credit card bill was adding up. The homeowners did not want their front porch demolished and desperately pleaded with the CIPP lining contractor for a viable alternative.

Unfortunately at this point, the CIPP lining contractor recommended that the Homeowners take care of the matter through their own home insurance and walked away from the situation. The Homeowners rescheduled their family Christmas plans and began researching alternatives to digging up the front porch as there were significant structural issues with this alternative that could threaten their entire home.

After four (4) weeks of consulting with their insurance company, calling all the trenchless companies they could find and being offered no viable alternatives, the Homeowners contacted Revive Pipes. One of our skilled technicians rushed over to their house to assess the situation.

The situation was grim with the Homeowners’ sewer pipe backed up with dirty sewage, so Revive Pipes technician couldn’t even visually see the branch in the sewer. Revive Pipes technician also didn’t have access to the Original Client’s home, so we weren’t able to put our robotic cutter into their pipe and cut out the branch from the Original Client’s main sewer.

Revive Pipes’ skilled technician called on his years of experience in lining small diameter sewer pipes in complex situations as well as our specialized equipment to guide one of our cutters to the lined over branch connection. Our skilled technician was able to feel and listen to the cutting tool to determine it was in the right location and while operating blind, cut open the lined over branch connection.
After a month spent in a hotel, a rescheduled Christmas and over $10,000 in unexpected expenses racked up on the Homeowners’ credit card, Revive Pipes had solved the problem and cleaned up our work location in his basement in two (2) hours.

Needless to say they were ecstatic.

Economic Impact: $30,000 Saved

Disruption to the Home: 0 Demolition

Avoidable Time Homeowners Spent in a Hotel: 4 Weeks