Repair Replace Water PipesDiscovering you have a burst water pipe on your hands is never fun. You have several options once this problem arises. You can repair the water pipe or you can replace it.  Your ability to simply repair it will be contingent on just how severe the condition of the pipe is in.  Other factors will influence your decision as well. For example, if the pipe is many years old you may want to consider replacing it altogether rather than attempting to fix it.

Repairing the Pipe

When you attempt to repair the damaged pipe versus replace it the plumber will have to come and inspect the pipe.  He will determine where the pipe is leaking. Often times you will see water seeping through the ground in the spot where it is cracked. The plumber will then put an air hose into the pipe past the point of breakage. The air hose will empty out the remaining water in the pipe at that time.

Next a pipe that is about one size smaller than the original pipe is inserted into the old one. You must push it in well past the damage in the pipe. Keep pushing the pipe until it hits the water. It should now be submerged. A way to test the pipe’s depth is to blow air into it and listen for air bubbles in the water. In the groove between the two pipes, apply expanding urethane foam crack filler. The foam will expand and harden greatly to fill the void in between the two pipes. The intention of this is for the foam to run down to the water level and then foam back to the surface of the ground. You will see it ooze up after it seals the crack. The plumber will then clean up the excess foam and wait for it to harden. The last step is to connect the inner, smaller water line to the system and apply water pressure again.

Replacing the Water Pipe

Many times pipes are either so old or so worn that you need to fully replace them when a leak occurs. Freezing water is often the cause of busted pipes. When water freezes it expands. The pipes are not meant to stretch and are not made of pliable fabrics. No matter the material of the pipes, eventually the wear and tear of the expansion and contraction will weaken the pipe. Again you have several options in this category too. Trenching is a means of replacing your pipe; however, there are many newer technologies that allow for cured in place pipe (CIPP) replacement. We will discuss the methods of each so you may see what works best for your Toronto home!


Trenching is an aged method that involves digging up the pipe in its entirety. The entire cylinder must be exposed including the bottom of the pipe. Additionally, the whole length of the pipe must be dug up, not just the section with a crack. Trenching is not the most popular form of pipe replacement currently as it can be very costly and time consuming. The process completely uproots your lawn and any landscaping you have in the area. This raises the price as you now have to pay to replace your lawn in the affected areas.  It can be dangerous too in terms of slicing into cable wires and other wires of the like while digging. It is important to have your utility companies come out and mark the ground for where not to dig. Luckily there are other options aside from trenching for pipe replacement.

Trenchless Pipe Replacement

Trenchless methods have become the new and improved way to replace pipes. In this way you do not have to dig up the whole pipe. There are several cured in place pipe (CIPP) methods. One cured in place pipe method involves replacing the pipe from within the existing pipe. A machine is used to carry a new, slightly smaller pipe into the damaged pipe. The machine travels the entire length of the pipe by going in one end and out the other, laying the pipe simultaneously. There are many benefits to CIPP methods. It is cost-effective, environmentally sound, and provides maximum durability. Cured in place pipe methods are a great advantageous alternative to traditional dig-and-replace methods in Toronto. Water pipe replacement by way of trenching is a much greater expense than Cured in Place Pipe methods. CIPP does not require tearing up your entire lawn. Replacing landscaping impacts the overall price of trenching greatly.

Whether you are attempting to repair your water pipe or aiming to replace it altogether, you have several options in your endeavor that you must consider.  Repairing your pipe can be a far cheaper option than replacing it.  That option is completely contingent on how bad the damage in the pipe is. Additionally, if your pipe is old or has severe damage you will want to replace it. In terms of replacing it you have even more choices. Trenching involves digging up the entire pipe for replacement. One con with this method is that you literally have to tear up a huge part of your lawn.  Also, it’s quite time consuming as the digging process takes much longer than other trenchless methods. Trenching is often referred to as the “old method” of pipe replacement. Trenchless repairs can be quick and easy. Cured in place pipe methods are ones that do not involve removing the pipe in its entirety but rather repairing it while it is still buried. One way is to use a machine that moves through the pipe, with a new pipe behind it. The new pipe is put in place so that it is secured and the old pipe’s damage will not affect the sewer’s performance.


Leave us a comment

Request Estimate