The idea in one paragraph

Pipe bursting treats the old sewer pipe as a guide rather than something to dig out. A cone-shaped bursting head, a little wider than the old pipe, is pulled through it from one access pit to another. As it moves, it fractures the old cast iron or clay and pushes the fragments outward into the surrounding soil. The new pipe is attached behind the head, so it slides into the space the old pipe used to occupy in a single pass.

The replacement pipe for residential laterals is commonly high-density polyethylene, or HDPE. Lengths of HDPE are joined by heat fusion into one continuous run before the pull, which means there are no gasketed joints along the way for roots to find. Other pipe types can be used depending on the installer and the city's requirements, so ask what material your quote specifies.

Pipe bursting at a glance

Old pipe
Fractured in place and left in the soil
New pipe
Often fused HDPE, pulled in behind the head
Access
Usually one pit at each end of the run
Pipe size
Same diameter, and sometimes larger
Needs first
Camera inspection, locating, utility marking

How a bursting job usually unfolds

The order below is typical. Your contractor should explain any differences for your property.

  1. Inspect and locate.The line is cleared and filmed from the cleanout to the city main, and a locator marks its route and depth on the ground above.
  2. Mark utilities.Gas, water, electric and communication lines are marked through 811 before digging. In Fullerton gas service lines belong to SoCalGas, and bursting pushes soil outward, so nearby lines matter.
  3. Dig the pits.A launch pit is opened at one end, often near the house or cleanout, and a receiving pit at the other, often near the property line or main connection.
  4. Fuse and stage the new pipe.HDPE lengths are fused into one run and laid out above ground, ready to follow the head.
  5. Pull through.A winch or hydraulic puller draws the head through the old pipe, with the new pipe trailing behind until it reaches the far pit.
  6. Connect, film and backfill.The ends are connected to the house drain and the lateral or main, the new line is filmed end to end, inspected if a permit applies, and the pits are backfilled.

Where bursting does well, and where it struggles

Usually a good fit

  • Cracked, root-filled or broken clay and cast-iron pipe
  • A long run under lawn, a driveway or hardscape
  • Lines where a larger diameter would help
  • Pipe so damaged that lining would have nothing solid to bond to

Often harder or unsuitable

  • Other utilities running very close to the sewer
  • Runs with several sharp bends between pits
  • Old pipe encased in concrete or repaired with steel sections
  • Deep sags that need the grade rebuilt by digging

Questions to ask about a bursting quote

  1. Where exactly will each pit go, and how large will it be?
  2. What pipe material and diameter will be installed?
  3. How will you protect the gas line and water service near the route?
  4. How will the new pipe connect to my house drain and to the city side?
  5. Will I get the camera video from before and after the pull?
  6. Who pulls the permit, and who restores the pits?

Common questions

Does pipe bursting remove the old pipe?

No. The old pipe is broken into fragments that stay in the soil around the new pipe. Only the short sections at the pits are typically removed.

Can bursting go through a section that has already collapsed?

Sometimes. If the puller cable or rods can get through and the head can be drawn along the path, bursting can often pass a collapsed spot. If nothing can get through, a short dig may be needed there first.

Is pipe bursting quieter than digging a trench?

The equipment still makes noise, and pits still need excavation. The difference is mainly how much ground is opened, not that the job is silent.

General information for Fullerton, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.