Concrete Leveling Solutions
When we're called to help a home owner with a free estimate on whether they should level their concrete or change it out, they are often happily surprised they can have smoothly aligned concrete again, in just a few minutes, saving them time and money. That’s because when compared to concrete replacement, the whole process of raising concrete with polyurethane foam is inexpensive (compared to the alternatives), and is tremendously faster than replacing the concrete.
Reasons To Lift Up Your Concrete:
Safety. Trip hazards may harm you, your loved ones and allows your property to be open for unwanted liability.
Cost. You can lift up your concrete for under half the cost of replacing the concrete slab.
Time. Your slab problem is only going to exacerbate in time, repair it now and steer clear of the hassle later on. Raising concrete with poly foam often takes a couple of hours and is ready instantly upon completion.
Appearance. Eye sores and added structural cracks can be the result of unlevel concrete.
Home Value. Trying to sell your home? First appearance is everything to a home buyer.
Structural Damage. Whenever a concrete slab settles, doors and windows stick and structures coupled to the slab may crack and settle as well.
Water Damage. Water follows the path of least resistance and a settled or sunken driveway might end up costing a home owner more money over time in foundation repairs.
Go Green. By raising your concrete you're saving your present slab from being torn out and deposited at a landfill.
WHY DOES CONCRETE SETTLE?
Poor Soil Conditions, Poor Compaction, Tree Roots, Poor Drainage
• Poor Soil Conditions: Clay-rich soils are ‘elastic.’ They expand and contract with moisture content. As soils become saturated with water, the clay stretches and loses strength. This condition enables slabs to sink similar to standing in wet mud. This can occur from heavy rains, melting snow, or plumbing leaks.
• Poor Compaction: Many homes are built on backfilled soils. If the soil is not compacted correctly, backfill will slowly and unevenly compact, sometimes in a period of a year, enabling slabs to settle.
• Tree Roots: Trees and big shrubs can consume up to thirty gallons of water per day. If located near concrete, the lack of water in the soil will make the soil contract and can cause the slabs to settle.
• Poor Drainage: Improper water drainage may cause soil instability by making areas of saturated soils allowing the slabs to settle. Poor drainage may be typical to the area, or as minor as a misplaced down spout.
Many homeowners make the big mistake of waiting until the issue worsens or spend two times as much on replacing the concrete. Until the issue is fixed your house remains vulnerable.
STEPS TO RAISING YOUR CONCRETE
Most concrete raising jobs takes between one to two (1-2) hours—start to finish—and your concrete is going to be ready for use instantly upon completion!
Step 1) Injection holes are strategically drilled around the locations where the concrete is sunken and requires lifting.
Step 2) Once everything is prepped and the hose and materials are in place, the polyurethane foam is injected through the holes which fills the space underneath the concrete slab, using the concrete slab itself to drive the polyurethane foam into the crevices, thereby raising the concrete back to its original, correct level.
Step 3) Upon completion of leveling the concrete, the injection hole(s) are loaded discretely with new cement, allowing you to make use of your surface right away.
Summary: Polyurethane Concrete Raising uses a foam material that is injected beneath the slab. When the components of this material are mixed, a reaction causes the material to enlarge. This expanded foam fills any voids beneath the slab and lifts concrete. This material will never lose density, is permanent and weighs no more than 2 lbs. per cubic foot.