According to Angie’s List, if your home is more than 40 years old, you should get someone to inspect your sewer line. There’s a chance you may need it replaced. Sewer line repair and sewer replacement sound daunting to a lot of people, because it means digging into your yard and possibly ruining the outdoor features of your home. However, not many people know that it doesn’t have to. If you’re worried about the state of your yard, you may want to consider trenchless pipe repair.

Trenchless, or “no dig” pipe repair is a way to fix your sewer line without extensive excavation of your property. Someone who specializes in trenchless pipe repair may need to create a small hole to reach your pipe, but that’s as far as it goes. Not many people know about trenchless technology, even though it’s been around for about 15 years. According to a consumer advocacy survey, 78% of homeowners hadn’t heard of trenchless pipe repair. Even so, it’s a rapidly growing industry.

The main advantage of trenchless technology is that repairs can be carried out without breaking the surface of the ground, so it’s handy in areas with high motor or pedestrian traffic, or environments that are too fragile to sustainably withstand extensive surface excavation. It also reduces the amount of pollution normally involved in large-scale plumbing operations and saves energy by reducing the resources needed for the project, such as petroleum-consuming vehicles.

The potential downside to trenchless pipe repair is the cost. Right now, it can cost up to 50% more than traditional sewer repair methods. However, some believe it to be more cost-effective regardless, because you won’t be spending money on additional repair work to restore your property. 73% of homeowners say they would pay the extra cost if it meant they didn’t have to complete redo their yards.