Removing Defective Drain Liners

There are a few techniques for removing defective drain liners but in most cases due to the time and cost involved in using them the shovels are usually out of the van and a big dig ensues, however there are occasions when digging is not an option so you could try the following.

• Cutting/Grinding - if its the end of the liner that has not opened or there are a couple of rogue wrinkles or some debris trapped under the liner then a robotic cutter can be used to grind out the defect before using a patch liner repair to make good
  
  
• Winching/Splitting - this is where you winch a splitting head through the liner shredding it as you go, better suited to drag in liners as apposed to any liner that adheres to the host pipe or its joints.
  
  
• Pipe Bursting - tried and tested method where if you can get a line through you can draw a new pipe through the liner splitting it as you go, not suitable if there are lateral connections and you will need an excavation at each end of the defective liner
  
  
• Steam Jetting - There was a contractor who would use steam so soften the liners before winching them out, never seen it done but i read an article on it some years back
  
  
• Install Parallel System - if all else fails and the liner can not be removed you can try to install a parallel line and this usually involves an impact mole or directional drilling rig, not cheap and specialist work but if a full excavation is not an option certainly worth considering
  
  
• Cleaning Up Liner End - its a relatively easy job to tidy up the outgoing liner from an inspection chamber using a grinder before inserting an end liner for a smoother transition from the host pipe to the relined pipe work