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CIPP Sewer Pipe Lining in Delaware County, PA

Most sewer laterals in Delaware County were installed when the surrounding homes were built. That means a large share of the county’s residential sewer pipes are clay tile — the standard material from roughly the 1890s through the mid-1960s. In neighborhoods built during the postwar boom, from Drexel Hill east to Sharon Hill and south through Springfield Township, Orangeburg pipe also shows up: a compressed wood-fiber material that was cheap at the time and deteriorates predictably once it has been wet for decades. When either of these pipes cracks, roots intrude, or the pipe begins to deflect, the options used to be dig the yard up or watch the backup get worse.

CIPP — cured-in-place pipe lining — installs a new pipe inside the old one without excavation. Advanced Drains and Underground Solutions performs CIPP lining throughout Delaware County for residential, multi-family, and commercial sewer laterals.

How CIPP lining works

Every CIPP job starts with a camera inspection. We run an HD camera through the lateral from the cleanout or the clean-access point nearest the house and record the condition of the pipe — where the cracks are, where roots have entered, whether there are offsets or deflections, and what the pipe diameter and total run length are. That footage determines whether lining is appropriate and what size liner to order.

Once the liner is on site, a felt tube saturated with two-part epoxy resin is inverted into the pipe using air or water pressure. The liner fills the old pipe and conforms to its interior walls. A rubber bladder inside is inflated to hold the liner against the pipe wall while the resin cures. Ambient-temperature cure typically takes two to four hours; UV-cure systems can shorten that significantly. When the bladder is deflated and pulled out, the old pipe has a new, smooth interior — no joints, no cracks, no root entry points. A final camera confirms the liner is seated correctly before the cleanout is capped.

What CIPP fixes and what it does not

CIPP is the right choice for a pipe that is cracked, has root infiltration, shows minor deflection, or is leaking at joints. The liner bridges the damage and the finished diameter — typically about a quarter-inch smaller than the original interior — is enough for full residential or commercial flow. It is not the right choice for a pipe that has fully collapsed, has large sections missing, or has offset joints severe enough that a liner cannot pass through. A camera inspection before any decision is made tells you which category your pipe is in. If the pipe is too far gone for lining, pipe bursting is usually the next option.

Party laterals and shared responsibility in twins and rowhomes

A significant portion of Delaware County’s housing stock is twins and attached rowhomes — particularly in Drexel Hill, Clifton Heights, Lansdowne, and Darby Borough. Many of these share a single sewer lateral between two attached homes before connecting to the municipal main. When one owner’s share of a party lateral fails, the repair affects both properties. CIPP lining can rehabilitate the shared run in one installation, and the cost and responsibility questions are worth clarifying with the adjacent owner before scheduling. We have been through this situation in Delaware County enough times to walk you through how it typically gets resolved.

DELCORA and permit requirements

Delaware County’s regional wastewater system runs through DELCORA — the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority. Depending on the municipality, a permit may be required before any lateral repair that involves opening the connection to the sewer main. Lining-only work typically stays within the homeowner’s lateral and does not require a municipal permit in most Delco jurisdictions, but we confirm permit requirements for each project based on the property address. We pull the permit when one is required; the homeowner does not need to navigate that step.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a CIPP liner last?
The liner material is typically rated at fifty years when installed to specification. The resin creates a pipe-within-a-pipe that is harder and smoother than the original clay, which means it resists root re-entry and flow buildup better than the host pipe did. The liner does not correct root sources above the pipe — adjacent trees will continue to grow — but the sealed, smooth interior gives roots nothing to grab onto.

Can a CIPP liner be installed through a cleanout without digging at all?
In most cases, yes. If the lateral has an accessible cleanout — either the original or one we install — the liner and the camera equipment enter and exit through that opening. The only exterior work is pulling back the cleanout cap and, at the end, restoring it. When no cleanout exists, one excavation point at the house foundation is typically needed to provide access. That is a much smaller dig than a full lateral excavation.

What if the camera shows Orangeburg pipe?
Orangeburg typically deforms into an oval cross-section as it absorbs moisture, which means a standard round liner will not seat correctly everywhere. We assess the degree of deformation during the inspection. Moderate oval distortion can still be lined; severe collapse usually means bursting or replacement is more reliable. We will tell you what we see and recommend accordingly — not what is most work for us to sell.

Call 1-855-DONT-DIG or use the form on this page to schedule a camera inspection and CIPP lining estimate in Delaware County, PA.