Frequently Asked Questions
Trenchless technology is a science that has evolved over the last 50 years. When sewers and underwater piping need repair, there are simply two options: Dig up the ground above, underneath, and around the pipe, OR repair the damage without disturbing the surrounding ground.
This is where trenchless technology comes in. The ability to repair and/or replace damaged or inefficient underground water systems without disturbing the surrounding grounds allows for a quicker, cleaner repair that causes less disturbance and inconvenience for the surrounding communities.
MOST often repairs can be made by entering the systems at manholes and other areas.
Not surprisingly, this is a common question with a standard answer: “It depends on the job.”
What you can depend on is that most often trenchless repair and maintenance is LESS expensive than excavation. Because there is less disturbance of the surrounding area, often the repair can be done for much less than traditional methods of excavation and repair. Today’s trenchless technology can handle most problems that arise within a sewer system at less expense than you might think.
We are happy to provide you with a written estimate or proposal for your work. Please contact us for a quick response to all of your questions.
A harmless white smoke is forced through the sealed sewer system. A sealed system means that there are very specific locations that the smoke should be able to exit the system. When a system is fully sealed the smoke will exit at these locations and nowhere else.
When smoke exits the system at locations OTHER THAN the identified locations it represents a crack, leak, or damage to the pipe system. Green Mountain Pipeline Services identifies the locations of the leaks, takes pictures, and logs the location so that repairs to the system can be completed at a later time.
Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) lining is a means of repairing damaged pipes without any excavation in many cases and substantially less excavation in many other cases. There are times when traditional excavation is required; but with today’s sewer technology, trenchless is almost always the preferred option.
Lining your pipes is a cost-effective way to repair the damage, without the costs and disturbances of excavation. We can enter the sewer system through existing ports of egress and complete most work from above the ground.
By combining a specially designed fabric liner, the right mixture of chemical ingredients, the right temperature water, and the right amount of air pressure, the fabric liner hardens to a solid pipe. It forms itself to the existing pipe while filling holes and sealing gaps and cracks.
The end result is that the lined pipe has been upgraded with a 50-year structural liner that has replaced the existing pipe without any excavation!
Green Mountain Pipeline Services will propel a harmless white smoke into the mainline sewer system and will then observe where the smoke exits the system. A sewer system is a “sealed system” and the smoke should only exit at very specific locations from the system.
If the smoke escapes from any point along the sanitary sewer line, it indicates a defect in the sewer. Leaks in either public or private sanitary sewer lines may allow storm water to enter the sewer during a heavy rainstorm. This is called inflow and infiltration, which may result in sewer overflows. Residents who notice smoke escaping from their private sewer lines (between the main line and their home) should take note of these defects as well, and plan to repair them as soon as possible.
Rest assured that Green Mountain Pipeline Services is a professional organization and will handle this project with the care and expertise that has earned us our excellent reputation across the Northeast.
No. During the testing, white smoke will exit from the vent pipes on the rooftops and from breaks in the sewer lines. The smoke used is not harmful to people or furnishings. It is almost odorless and leaves no residue. The smoke cannot enter buildings unless there is a defect in the plumbing or a dry trap in a seldom used sink or drain.