iFlex® Lateral: Benefits, Installation & Efficiency for Pipeline Repair

Most homeowners and residents don’t realise just how complex the pipe network is that runs around their property.

While a single mains line runs through a neighbourhood, the concept becomes overwhelming when you consider just how many lateral pipes run away from the main water or waste line, into and out of each individual property.

While the mainline itself is constructed from a chunky section of pipe that runs through an area, the lateral pipes are responsible for connecting each property to that major pipeline. Branching away from the main pipeline at off angles, the lateral pipes are therefore both smaller and more complicated in their position and shape.

As the company behind the innovation of CIPP liners for trenchless pipe rehabilitation, lateral pipes pose a challenge that can only be overcome by a dedicated, specialised solution. Which is where iFlex® Lateral comes in.

What is iFlex® Lateral?

iFlex® Lateral is the solution developed by Insituform, engineering the concept of CIPP felt liners but for the smaller and more fiddly lateral pipes around a property.

These dry liners are embedded with resin, which when activated is strong and stable enough to create a new layer on the inside of the pipe. A versatile solution that can adapt to all manner of different materials, the high elasticity of the iFlex® Lateral product ensures that the liner can navigate smaller pipes, traverse sharp bends, and provide a lasting solution for lateral pipe rehabilitation.

The Challenge with Navigating Lateral Pipe Repair

Lateral pipes are the smaller pipes that connect each individual property to the main sewage network, drainage networks, and waterlines.

Because of the need to reach each property, these pipes are often required to navigate complex routes, with multiple bends of up to 90 degrees as they enter each property.

This alone makes internal pipe rehabilitation much more challenging when you consider the number of bends you need your felt liners to traverse and clear. But it’s not the only challenge.

Lateral pipeline repair is also challenging owing to the presence of other utilities that run underground, meaning that any form of excavation runs the risk of impacting electricity lines and other cables.

The Benefits of iFlex® Lateral for Lateral Pipeline Repair

By far the most prominent benefit of iFlex® Lateral is the effectiveness of the product, which has been uniquely designed to offer the same high-quality finish as CIPP pipe liners, but in the more challenging environment of a damaged lateral pipe.

Able to traverse sharp bends, and rehabilitate small pipes that run away from mainlines and towards individual properties, and with a material finish which can adapt and fix to any pipe surface, iFlex® Lateral is a flexible solution that restores all pipes to full working order.

What’s more, like all CIPP liners and trenchless solutions, the iFlex® Lateral liners are incredibly easy to install and activate – without engineers needing to break ground or even directly access the damaged section of pipe. These liners can be fed into the damaged section of pipe from above ground via a small opening, before being activated and given time to set in place.

This saves both time and financial cost, making iFlex® Lateral a cost and time-effective solution that gets local infrastructure back up and running in no time at all.

Sourcing the Best Trenchless Technology Through Insituform

iFlex® Lateral is just one of the solutions developed by Insituform in response to market demand, taking the effectiveness and versatility of CIPP felt liners and making them more accessible across a range of projects.

While lateral pipes introduce their own challenges, the iFlex® Lateral product is designed to deliver lasting results and ensure that pipes throughout the network can be effectively and efficiently rehabilitated.

For more information on this and other products, or to learn about comprehensive training opportunities, reach out to Insituform directly.