# Pipe Reaming in Denver

Pipe reaming mechanically cuts the interior of a pipe back to its original diameter, removing hardened scale, mineral buildup, intruded roots, protruding taps, and old liner remnants so the line can flow properly or accept a new liner.

- Restores full internal diameter.
- Cuts what jetting alone cannot remove.
- Standard preparation step before lining.
- Used on cast iron scale and root-choked lines.

## What Pipe Reaming Is

A cutting head sized to the pipe is driven through the line on a flexible shaft or cable, mechanically removing everything attached to the pipe wall. Where jetting scours with water pressure, reaming cuts with a tool that contacts the obstruction directly.

It is the answer for hardened material: mineral scale in cast iron, calcified buildup, heavy root masses that have grown solid, protruding service taps, and hardened resin or liner remnants left by earlier work.

Reaming is often not the finished job. It is the step that makes the finished job possible, because a liner installed over scale bonds to the scale rather than to the pipe.

- Hardened mineral scale in cast iron.
- Calcified deposits narrowing the bore.
- Dense root masses beyond what a cutter head clears.
- Intruding service taps and protruding connections.
- Hardened grease and cement-like debris.
- Remnants of a previous liner or failed repair.

## When Pipe Reaming Is the Right Method

Reaming is the right method when the pipe wall is still structurally sound but the usable diameter has been lost to buildup, and when a line is about to be lined and the host pipe needs to be cleaned back to bare wall first.

It is also the right call when jetting has already been tried and flow did not fully recover, which usually means the restriction is hardened material bonded to the wall rather than soft debris moving through it.

It is the wrong method when the pipe wall is too thin or corroded to survive cutting, when the pipe is cracked or offset at the point of buildup, or when the real problem is grade or collapse and cleaning would change nothing.

- Pipe wall too thin or corroded to survive a cutter.
- Cracked, offset, or separated pipe at the buildup.
- Collapsed sections the head cannot pass.
- Deteriorated Orangeburg or similar fiber conduit.
- Grade failure, where the restriction is not the problem.

## How a Reaming Job Runs

1. **Camera First** Inspection establishes pipe material, wall condition, and what the buildup actually is, which decides whether cutting is safe.
2. **Size the Head** The cutting head is matched to the pipe diameter and the type of material being removed so the tool cuts the deposit and not the pipe.
3. **Ream the Run** The head is driven through in passes, progressively opening the bore back toward full diameter.
4. **Flush and Re-Inspect** Cuttings are jetted out and a second camera pass confirms restored diameter and documents pipe wall condition for the next decision.

## Disruption, Timeline, and Cost Drivers

Most reaming work is completed in a few hours on site with no excavation, using an existing cleanout or access point. The line is out of service while the work is in progress.

Cost drivers are run length, pipe diameter, how hard and how thick the deposit is, how many passes are needed, access location, and whether the reaming is standalone or part of a lining project.

Reaming is inexpensive relative to replacement, but it is worth being clear about what it buys: restored diameter in a pipe that is still the same age it was this morning.

## Frequently asked questions

**When is pipe reaming the right method?**

When the pipe wall is sound but diameter has been lost to hardened scale, roots, or protruding taps, or when a host pipe has to be cleaned back to bare wall before lining.

**What rules pipe reaming out?**

Thin or badly corroded pipe wall, cracks or offsets at the buildup, collapse, or deteriorated fiber conduit that will not survive a cutter.

**Is reaming the same as hydro jetting?**

No. Jetting scours with high pressure water and excels on grease and soft debris. Reaming cuts hardened material mechanically. Many jobs use both.

**Will reaming damage my pipe?**

Not when the pipe is a candidate and the head is sized correctly. That is exactly why we camera the line before cutting anything.

**Do I need reaming before lining?**

Frequently yes, on cast iron and root-affected lines. A liner cured over scale bonds to the scale rather than the pipe.

## Related Methods and Services

- [Hydro Jetting and Descaling](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/hydro-jetting-descaling) High pressure water and cutting heads that strip grease, roots, and scale.
- [CIPP Cured-In-Place Lining](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/cipp-lining) A resin liner cured inside the host pipe to form a new jointless pipe wall.
- [Sewer Camera Inspection](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/sewer-camera-inspection) Video inspection that identifies the defect, its depth, and its location.
- [Method Comparison and Cost Guide](https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/sewer-repair-method-comparison) Side by side comparison of every method, what drives cost, and what rules each out.

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Denver Sewer and Water is a privately owned, licensed and insured plumbing contractor. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Denver Water, the municipal water utility, or any government entity. To pay a municipal water bill or reach the public utility, visit denverwater.org.

Source: https://www.denversewerandwater.com/methods/pipe-reaming