Cracked Drain Pipe Repair: Which Defects Can Be Patched?

A camera survey has found that your drain pipe is cracked. What happens now? For many homes in Stockport, the answer is a quick, no-dig fix. If the damage is in one place and the pipe is still holding its shape, it can often be fixed from the inside with a patch, without digging up your garden or driveway. Here’s which defects can be patched, which can’t, and why it’s worth acting before autumn and winter.

Why cracked drains shouldn’t be ignored

A cracked or deteriorating drain rarely gets better on its own. Left alone, damaged pipes can lead to:

• Leaks that wash away the soil around the pipe
• Roots getting in and growing
• Repeated blockages as debris catches on the damage
• Water escaping into the ground, which can contribute to subsidence
• In the worst cases, sewer flooding or a collapse

Autumn and winter make things worse. Leaves and debris wash into drains in heavy rain and snag on cracks and open joints, and freezing weather can widen damage that’s already there.

Which defects can be patched?

Patch repairs are designed for single, localised defects in a short section of pipe. They’re ideal for:

• Cracks and fractures where the pipe is still in shape
• Open or leaking joints, where two pipe sections have pulled apart slightly
• Rooted joints, once the roots have been cut out
• Minor displaced joints, where the step between pipes isn’t too big
• Small partial collapses, if the pipe can still be cleaned and the patch can get past

Because the patch only covers the problem area, you’re not paying to repair pipe that’s in good condition.

Which defects can’t be patched?

• Fully collapsed pipes, where the camera can’t get through
• Pipes that are badly deformed or broken into pieces
• Long lengths of damage along a whole run
• Defects that can’t be reached from a manhole or other access point

These usually need excavating and replacing. We only do patch repairs, so if a longer section is damaged, we’ll tell you honestly and explain your options.

How a patch repair works

• Survey: a CCTV drain survey finds the defect and measures exactly where it is.
• Clean: we jet the pipe to remove roots, scale and debris so the patch can bond.
• Install: a patch soaked in resin is fitted around an inflatable packer and pushed through an existing manhole or gully to the defect.
• Cure: the packer is inflated, pressing the patch against the pipe wall until the resin sets hard.
• Check: the packer is removed and we check the finished repair with the camera.

No excavation is needed, so there’s very little disruption. See our patch repair page for prices.

Got a cracked drain?

For more information on patch repairs, call or WhatsApp us and we’ll happily take you through the process. We cover Stockport, Bramhall and the surrounding areas. Call 07375 521027 or WhatsApp us your survey footage.