Lining versus digging at a glance
Neither way to repair a sewer line wins every time. This table shows how they compare on the points that decide most jobs.
| Question | Cured-in-place lining | Open trench replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Yard and driveway disturbance | Usually one or two small access holes | A trench along the full pipe path |
| Pipe condition needed | Round, continuous, no collapse | Any condition, including collapsed |
| Pipe slope problems (a belly) | Does not fix it, standing water remains | Re-grades the pipe to the correct fall |
| Typical timeline | Often one day for a short run, curing included | Several days with backfill and restoration |
| Typical liner or new pipe life | Commonly quoted at 50 years | New PVC, commonly quoted at 50 years or more |
| Pipe diameter after the job | Slightly smaller by the liner wall | Same or larger, your choice |
Typical industry figures. A camera survey on your own pipe decides which column applies.
What a liner actually is
A liner is a flexible felt tube soaked in epoxy resin. Once it sits inside the old pipe and the resin hardens, the felt becomes a rigid pipe within a pipe. It bridges cracks, seals joints and blocks roots that were squeezing through gaps.
The finished liner is smooth and has no joints, which is why a lined pipe tends to clear easier afterward. It is a repair of the pipe wall, not a replacement of the pipe route. That distinction decides almost every question that follows. If the route is wrong, a liner repeats the wrong route.
How the installation runs, start to finish
Details vary by crew and by pipe, but the sequence is consistent.
- 1
Camera survey first
A sewer camera shows the cracks, offsets, roots, belly and pipe material. The plumber also locates the line so the access points are chosen with real data.
- 2
Clean the pipe
Hydro jetting or mechanical cutting removes roots, scale and debris. Resin will not bond to a dirty wall, so the pipe has to be bare.
- 3
Measure and cut the liner
The felt tube is cut to the length and diameter of the run, then saturated with resin so it is evenly wet.
- 4
Pull or invert it into place
Air or water pressure pushes the liner through the pipe, turning it inside out so the resin side presses against the old wall.
- 5
Cure and reopen
Steam, hot water or UV light hardens the resin. A cutter reopens side connections, and a final camera pass checks the result.
When a liner is the right call
Lining fits when the pipe is intact but aging. Common examples are hairline cracks, joints pulling apart, root intrusion that returns every year, and old clay or cast iron that is scaled but still round. It also makes sense when the pipe runs under a driveway, a patio or mature trees.
The savings are real when digging would mean cutting concrete and replanting a yard. The camera survey is what proves it, so ask to see the footage before you agree to anything. A plumber who recommends lining without a camera pass is guessing.
When a liner will not work
A collapsed pipe cannot take a liner because the tube cannot pass through. A belly, which is a low spot that holds water, stays a belly after lining and keeps collecting waste. A severely offset joint can snag the liner. Pipe wrapped in heavy corrosion may need to be cleaned or replaced before anything goes in.
In those cases digging, or a pipe bursting method that pulls new pipe along the old route, is the honest answer. Paying for a liner on a failed pipe wastes money and often fails again within a season.
Who owns the sewer pipe on a Mauldin lot
The City of Mauldin Public Works Committee agenda from October 2024 describes the city sewer system as consisting only of the mainlines and manholes within street rights-of-way and utility easements. The lateral, the pipe from your house to that mainline, belongs to and is maintained by the property owner.
In practice, that means a lining or digging job on your lateral is your decision and your cost. It also means you should confirm exactly where your property ends and the city mainline begins before authorizing work. Call Public Works at (864) 289-8904 with your address to ask.
Permit rules matter too. The City of Mauldin Building and Zoning page says a permit is required before you add, alter, or replace any plumbing system, and that contractors must be licensed, bonded and insured and hold the permit before starting. Whether a liner counts as altering the system is a question for that office at (864) 234-3475.
Source type: City of Mauldin Public Works Committee agenda and Building and Zoning permit page.
Pipe material under a Mauldin lot
Greenville Water lines reached Laurens Road in 1953, US 276 was built through the center of Mauldin in 1956, and the city gained city status in 1969. Houses here were built across several decades, so the pipe under your yard depends on when your own lot was developed, not on the street name.
Older laterals were often clay or cast iron, and newer ones are PVC. You cannot tell by looking at the house. A camera inspection settles it, and it should happen before anyone prices a liner. If you are buying a house, a sewer camera inspection before closing is cheaper than finding out afterward.
Questions to ask a plumber before you approve lining
- Can I see the camera footage of my own pipe?
- What is the pipe material and diameter, and how long is the run?
- Is there a belly or an offset that a liner cannot fix?
- How will the side connections be reopened and checked?
- Is the permit being pulled, and by whom?
- What is the written scope, and what happens if the liner will not pass?
Typical lining costs run from a few thousand dollars for a short run to well above that for long or deep lines, and trenching has its own range. The real figure depends on length, depth, access and pipe condition, and comes from a call.
Signs your sewer line needs a look
Watch for gurgling toilets, slow drains in more than one fixture, a sewage smell in the yard, or a green, soggy patch above the line. A single slow sink is usually a local clog. Several fixtures backing up at once points to the main.
If sewage is coming up in a shower or tub, stop using water in the house and call. A backup is a health problem. A plumber can clear the line first, then use a camera to see whether repair is needed or cleaning is enough.
DIY, lining kits and where to stop
Homeowners can run a snake into a cleanout or check where the cleanout sits. That is about the limit. Lining needs a camera, a jetter, resin handling and curing equipment, and a mistake means a blocked line with a hardened tube inside it.
Do not pour a root killer down the toilet and call it a repair. It may slow roots for a while but it does not close the crack. If you want another look at the options, Fountain Inn and Simpsonville homeowners ask the same questions, and the answers do not change by town.
Sewer lining questions from Mauldin homeowners
A short run often finishes in a single day, with cleaning, lining and curing included. Longer or deeper runs take more. The cure time depends on the resin and the method, whether steam, hot water or UV light.
Many liners handle gentle bends, and a cutter reopens branch lines afterward. Sharp offsets and tight fittings can snag the tube. The camera survey shows whether the route is clear.
The wall is a bit thicker, so the inside diameter shrinks slightly. The smooth surface offsets much of that, and a fully cleaned lined pipe often flows well. Ask for the final camera footage.
No. A belly is a grade problem, and the liner follows the existing path. If the camera shows standing water along a stretch, replacement by digging or pipe bursting is the better approach.
Yes, according to the City of Mauldin Public Works Committee October 2024 agenda. The city system consists of the mainlines and manholes in rights-of-way and easements, and the lateral belongs to the property owner.
The City of Mauldin Building and Zoning page says a permit is required before you add, alter, or replace any plumbing system. Ask that office whether a liner qualifies, and expect the contractor to hold the permit.
Call Mauldin Public Works at (864) 289-8904, or (864) 289-8900 after hours. They can tell you whether the backup comes from the city side or from your lateral.