Most homes standing today were built sometime within the last hundred years. In the homes older than 30 or so years, a lot of the functionality can diminish if maintenance and other renovations aren’t performed. Any homeowner can tell you that an older home has a certain romantic appeal to it though it does cost some money keeping it up to modern standards.

Of the systems to malfunction or need replacement, the heating, venting, and air conditioning (or HVAC) are usually some of the first. Other homeowners consider painting, roofing and siding, insulation, and their sewer systems as other points of interest when modernizing their homes. In most or all of these cases, much like many other industries and technologies, the past few years have seen a wide array of improvements and new products which render the systems of yesteryear all but obsolete.

Consider the sewer in your home, for example. Most experts agree that 40 years of age is likely old enough to warrant a replacement. If you’re living in a home which is older than 40 years, and it hasn’t had its sewer lines inspected, you may be overdue for one.

Should you find yourself in this position, it’s best to keep in mind that plain old replacements can net you an improvement in your sewer’s functionality. That being said, renovations might be the ultimate time and money saver. Most homeowners aren’t aware of it, but one such ideal replacement has already been available for 10 or 15 years. It’s called the trenchless method.

Trenchless pipe lining is a little more expensive than the more retro systems still in our homes today — at least initially. The 30-50% higher cost of installation is easily worth the investment once you consider that this method is less intrusive to your property, and will not require a massive restructuring or repair later on in its lifespan. When the older systems fail and a sewer line replacement is required, there’s no way to perform the job without tearing up a homeowner’s lawn to get to the pipes. With trenchless pipe lining, you pay a little more up front, but never have to pay the costs of massive refurbishing projects on your property in the future.

More and more homeowners are calling it a deal every year.