Detect Causes of Sinking Concrete Before It’s Too Late

Concrete is one of the main building materials used in the housing industry. It has been for decades, and likely will continue to be for decades in the future. Whether you have built a new home, or moved into a new-to-you home, the concrete is a foundational part of your home, and should be protected like a valued investment. Let’s discuss a few simple ways for homeowners to detect causes of sinking concrete before it’s too late. 

Let’s Start at the Top

Water drainage is a major factor in keeping your concrete protected. Checking gutters and downspouts to ensure proper drainage is one of the easiest ways to prevent your concrete from being washed out, and losing the support of the earth beneath it. 

We often see gutters overflowing during a rainstorm, or downspouts pouring directly into a landscaping bed near a concrete sidewalk, patio, or porch. Clearing gutters and redirecting downspouts away from your house is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to save yourself money in the future.  Homeowners should do at least one thorough inspection of all gutter and spout systems around your house per year. It is important to do this during a rain event. Clogs in your drainage system may not always be visible. Observing no overflow of these systems during rainfall is needed for a proper inspection. 

Soil Compaction is Key

This is a step that is required from the homebuilder. Before the concrete is installed, it is important to have the soil compacted. Not having proper compaction can lead to settling soil, and sinking concrete in the near future. This is such an important part of the process that large commercial construction projects typically have thousands of dollars budgeted for third party inspection services to take soil samples and provide compaction reports throughout the building process. 

You must research your market, and choose a trusted concrete contractor in your area. Because you are not a professional homebuilder, there will come a point in the homebuilding process where you will have to rely on your trust of the contractor you hired to know the job is being done right. Build rapport with your homebuilder, and treat them with respect during the process, and they will be much more willing to go above and beyond for you. 

The Earth is Always Shifting

Remember that there is no way to stop mother nature. You can check every box for detecting causes of sinking concrete, but the earth beneath you will still shift and move over the years, and you can still have concrete pads that crack and sink. Soil type and freeze/thaw cycles play a large role in this, and you can’t stop freezing February temps from occurring every year, unless you move to Florida! 

If you notice a new crack in your driveway, or have stubbed your toe on uneven concrete for the first time. Don’t wait to call! We are all guilty of procrastination, and once you push it off, it now becomes a common part of your surroundings, and you may forget about it completely. This can cause a small problem to become a larger and more costly problem over time. 

Call today for a free estimate!