Directional rodding is not a drill. There is no rotating drill bit, no drilling fluid, no reaming. We push a rod through the soil using hydraulic force. The rod displaces the earth around it as it moves. When it reaches the other side, we attach the new pipe or conduit and pull it back through the path the rod made.
Directional rodding uses a solid fiberglass rod pushed through the earth using hydraulic pressure. The rod has a pointed leading head that parts the soil as it advances. There is no rotating bit, no drilling fluid, and no borehole that has to be cut and enlarged. The rod simply displaces the soil around it and creates a path through the ground.
We start from a small launch pit at one end of the run. Rod sections are pushed end to end through the soil until the lead head emerges at the destination point. Once the rod is through, we attach the new pipe or conduit to the trailing end of the rod using a pulling head. We then pull the rod back out from the launch side, and the new pipe follows the rod through the path it created. When the pull is complete, the new pipe is in the ground and the access points are closed.
Directional rodding is not limited to sewer lines. Because the method creates a path through the earth and pulls new material through that path, it can be used to install a wide range of utilities without open trenching.
| Method | How it moves through soil |
|---|---|
| Directional Rodding | Pushes rod through soil by force. Soil displaced to sides. No rotation, no fluid, no reaming. |
| HDD (Horizontal Directional Drilling) | Rotating drill bit. Drilling fluid pumped through to cut and remove soil. Requires reaming to enlarge bore path. |
Directional rodding is best suited for residential runs in softer Wisconsin soils, typically clay and sandy loam. Under driveways, sidewalks, lawns, and landscaped areas where open trenching would be destructive and unnecessary. Distances typically up to several hundred feet.
Running a new water line, gas line, or electrical conduit under an existing driveway means either cutting and repaving the concrete or finding another way. Directional rodding goes under the driveway and comes out the other side. The concrete never gets touched.
Installing a new sewer lateral from a structure to the city main, running a new service to an outbuilding, or replacing an old lateral at a slightly different path. The rod creates the new path through the soil and the HDPE pipe follows it in.
New water service or gas line to a house, garage, or outbuilding without opening a trench across the yard. The rod path goes from the service point at the street or meter to the connection at the structure with no surface damage in between.
Pulling electrical conduit from a panel to a detached garage, outbuilding, or outdoor equipment location without digging a trench across the lawn or landscaping. The conduit follows the rod path and the grass stays intact.
Because there is no open trench, there is no lawn to reseed, no concrete to repour, and no landscaping to replant. The two small launch and exit pits are closed when the job is done. That is the only evidence anything happened.
The clay and sandy loam soils common in Chippewa and Eau Claire counties are well suited to directional rodding. The soil displaces cleanly around the rod without caving or requiring the drilling fluid and reaming that HDD depends on.
Tell Melvin what you need to run and where. He will ask about the run distance, soil conditions, and access situation. Most jobs can be scoped by phone and confirmed on site.
We locate existing utilities before starting anything. Knowing what is already underground is essential to plan the rod path and avoid conflicts with existing lines.
We set up at the launch point, push rod sections through the soil end to end, and advance the lead head to the destination. The soil displaces around the rod as it moves through.
New pipe or conduit attaches to the trailing end of the rod. We pull the rod back from the launch side and the new pipe follows through the path the rod created. Access points are closed and the job is done.
No. HDD uses a rotating drill bit and drilling fluid to create and enlarge a bore. Directional rodding pushes a solid rod through the soil by hydraulic force with no rotation and no fluid. The rod displaces the soil rather than removing it. For shorter residential runs in softer soil, directional rodding is faster, simpler, and does not require the setup and fluid management that HDD demands.
For most residential utility runs, sewer laterals, water service, gas, and electrical conduit are well within the range of what directional rodding can handle. Call Melvin at (715) 658-6070 with your specific situation and he will tell you straight whether it fits.
Yes. Going under a driveway, sidewalk, or patio without cutting it open is one of the primary reasons homeowners use this method. The rod travels through the soil beneath the concrete. The slab on top is never disturbed.
Directional rodding works best in the clay and loam soils common in Eau Claire and Chippewa County. Very rocky or gravel-heavy soil can create resistance. Melvin will assess the soil conditions on site and tell you if a different method is more appropriate for your specific situation.
Yes. Gas line installation is one of the applications directional rodding handles well. The rod creates the path, and gas-rated HDPE pipe is pulled through behind it. The installation meets the same requirements as any trenchless utility installation for residential gas service.
Yes. Melvin warranties the entire job, not just the pipe material. That is the same 50-year whole-job warranty that applies to pipe bursting and CIPP work. If something is wrong with the installation, it is covered.
Call Melvin at (715) 658-6070. Tell him what you need to run and where. He will tell you straight whether directional rodding fits, give you a price, and get it done without a trench across your yard.