Pipe Bursting in Cold Spring

One of the biggest challenges in repairing a pipe is the experience of digging a trench to pull up the pipe. For pipes that are excessively damaged, this can result in spending a lot of time pulling pipe pieces out before repairs can be finalized—not to mention the time wasted filling the hole back in. That’s why pipe bursting is such an attractive repair method; two holes are dug at either end of the pipe being replaced, and the new pipe is laid without a trench.

How Does Pipe Bursting Work?

If your home’s pipe is a candidate for bursting, the plumber will generally dig two holes on your property. These are placed at the start and end of the pipe that needs to be burst. The actual “bursting” is accomplished with a winch system. The new pipe is pulled through the old pipe by a winch on one end; rollers on the new pipe shove the old pipe aside and press it into the soil.

Plumbers who perform pipe bursting use a special attachment called a pipe-bursting head to break apart the pipe as they’re pulling the new line in behind it. Sewer lines, natural gas pipes, and even water mains are all viable candidates for pipe bursting in the right situation.

Are There Different Kinds of Pipe Bursting?

Pipe bursting is done one of four ways. Hydraulic bursting is usually done from manhole to manhole; the bursting head relies on hydraulic cylinders to expand and move along the pipe. Static pipe bursting, commonly used for water or natural gas, is performed with a horizontal winch that acts as a high-powered hydraulic jack.

Pneumatic pipe bursting uses a pneumatic bursting head and, acting like a jackhammer, breaks apart the old pipe as the new pipe is laid in its place. Pneumatic bursting is most common in gravity pipes and pressure pipes.

Lastly, there’s lateral pipe bursting, which tends to be used for pipes with multiple pipe bends and relatively small pipe (4 inches in diameter). Lateral bursting also uses a steel cone to break the pipe apart, which makes it slightly different from the other methods.

Do you need pipe bursting services? Contact T.Webber today!