Many homeowners experience sunken concrete slabs on their sidewalks, driveways, patios, or pool decks. While this is unsightly and can decrease your home’s curb appeal, it can also create dangerous tripping hazards. Our concrete experts at AquaGuard Foundation Solutions can repair your concrete slabs and make them look as good as new for a safe and even surface for your family to enjoy.
Causes
There are many factors that can cause concrete settlement; however, there are three main reasons why concrete slab begins to settle:
Water caused by plumbing leaks, heavy rainfalls, and erosion can find its way underneath your concrete slab. As the water moves, it can wash away the soil that is supporting the heavy weight of your concrete. The foundation can begin to sink and settle due to the soil being too moist.
When new homes or commercial buildings are being constructed, builders add layers of soil to the foundation to ensure the desired grade level. If a new slab is being poured on top of this loosely compacted soil, the chances of your concrete settling are more likely to occur.
Your soil can either become too wet or too dry. If your home was constructed with soils that are higher in clay content, they will most likely shrink as they become too dry. When shrinking occurs, it causes the creation of empty space underneath your concrete slab, resulting in uneven and cracked concrete. However, if your soil is too moist, it won’t be able to hold the weight of your structure, causing your foundation to sink and settle.
The soil underneath your driveway, that patio, or concrete steps is also highly susceptible to Georgia’s ever-changing weather and climate changes. Just as compaction or shrinkage can occur during periods of drought, during heavy rains, or when the ground thaws out after freezing during winter, that same soil can wash out and erode. Once this occurs, your soil can provide little to no support for the heavy concrete that rests on top of it.
As water moves underneath your concrete slabs, it can wash away the soil that’s supporting the weight of the overlying concrete. As this happens, a void is created underneath. Over time, with nothing to support it, your concrete slab will begin to crack, sink, or cave in. Suddenly, you’ve got a significant concrete settlement problem, safety hazard, and potential loss of resale value.
Different types of soil have different load-bearing capacities. When a soil’s load-bearing capacity is exceeded, the soil will compact and settle.
It’s also possible for the soil beneath a slab to settle and compact of its own accord. Soil that contains large amounts of clay and/or silt, as much of Georgia’s soil does, will shrink substantially when it dries out.
As the soil compacts underneath a concrete slab, the unsupported slab will sink as well, usually cracking in one or more areas as a result.
Solutions
The Permanent Solution to Fix Sunken Concrete
AquaGuard Foundation Solutions
Sidewalk Leveling
Cracked, sunken concrete sidewalks and walkways aren’t just an eyesore—they’re a safety hazard.
AquaGuard Foundation Solutions
Pool Deck Repair
Pool Deck Repair & Leveling. We offer fast, permanent pool concrete repair using the innovative PolyRenewal® process.
AquaGuard Foundation Solutions
Concrete Sealant
Learn how concrete sealant can extend the life of your concrete driveways, sidewalks, pool decks, and more!
AquaGuard Foundation Solutions
Concrete Repair
Cracking, settling, and heaving concrete isn’t just an eyesore—it’s a safety hazard. From residential concrete driveways to commercial parking lots, Aquaguard provides concrete repair solutions throughout Northern Georgia.
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