Have you ever seen a sidewalk with tons of cracks across the surface? You probably avoided this section or walked more carefully over it. No one wants cracked concrete on their property. It looks unsightly and can cause injury. Thankfully, Basement Authority of West Virginia offer concrete lifting solutions for homeowners in Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Wheeling, and surrounding areas so they can avoid these problems.
What Causes Cracked Concrete?
Cracked concrete is usually the result of weak soil. Here’s what may be causing damage to the concrete on your property.
Soil Washout
Soil washout refers to soil that is eroded by moisture. Generally, this occurs during heavy precipitation – and West Virginia receives its fair share of rain and snow throughout the year. When water drains into the soil, it washes particles away and causes the ground to become weaker. Think about what happens when your car gets stuck in mud. The weight of your car pushes the tires down and causes them to become lodged in the soil. Well, the same thing happens with heavy concrete structures. Eventually, concrete sinks into the wet soil and causes cracks to form on the surface.
Drought and Dry Soil
On the opposite end of the spectrum lies dry soil issues. While West Virginia doesn’t typically experience serious drought conditions, hot summer days can certainly take their toll on your yard’s soil. As the sun bakes the ground, soil can become especially dry and brittle. Additionally, dry soil shrinks in volume which causes a gap to open between the concrete and ground. Once again, heavy concrete overpowers the brittle soil and causes the concrete to crack as it sinks.
Poor Compaction
Another problem that soil can face is poor compaction. Simply put, this is when soil is not packed together tightly enough. Often, this occurs during the construction of a new building. Contractors often fill in a plot of land with soil from another location. They may attempt to pack the soil together and emulate the natural process of compacted soil, but this doesn’t always work. If not done correctly, pockets of air are present in the soil, and it is structurally unstable. Over time, concrete may overpower the poorly compacted soil and make the concrete cracked and uneven.
FAQs
Small cracks may appear after concrete has been placed. While these are normal, they could potentially lead to a larger problem, so keep an eye out. Large cracks are really what you need to worry about, especially if they come out of nowhere. Don’t ignore cracks in your concrete, no matter their size. Having a foundation professional come to your home and inspect the cracks may help you avoid larger issues down the road.
Unfortunately, DIY solutions rarely help. Most hardware store solutions only provide a cosmetic or temporary solution. They might make cracked concrete look better, but they fail to address the real problem – weak soil. Only professional foundation repair specialists can truly stop cracked concrete from getting worse. Foundation Systems of West Virginia uses PolyRenewal™, a polyurethane solution that lifts concrete and prevents weak soil from affecting it.
There are a few different types of cracks. Cracks that have already developed but are no longer growing are called static cracks. Small, hairline cracks fall into this category. The vast majority of static cracks are the result of natural settlement that occurs after concrete construction. Static cracks do not grow larger, and unless they are expanding far across the surface, they do not pose much of a threat to your property.
Another kind of crack is called an active crack. These cracks are still growing and can actually help in identifying problematic sections of soil. Lastly, there are deep cracks. As you might guess by their name, these cracks cut deeply through the concrete. These types of cracks are also considered ‘active’, and can grow into an even larger problem as soil continues to shift below them.
Explore Solutions
Concrete lifting involves the use of polyurethane foam injection. At Basement Authority of West Virginia, we use PolyRenewal™ as our preferred polyurethane foam. With this durable and lightweight solution, your concrete stays supported and protected against shifting soil. The foam fills voids below the concrete and is even protected against weather conditions. Best of all, the solution is eco-friendly and won’t release harmful chemicals into your yard.
Basement Authority of West Virginia
Polyrenewal™
PolyRenewal™is a solution developed to restore concrete that has become unstable due to weakened soil. Your concrete driveway, sidewalk, or exterior steps will be as sturdy as the day it was constructed thanks to this lightweight yet durable polymer.
Basement Authority of West Virginia
Sidewalk Lifting
A damaged, sunken sidewalk should be repaired by a professional. Basement Authority of West Virginia can help restore your sidewalk with an innovative solution.
Call Basement Authority of West Virginia for a Free Inspection
Don’t let cracked concrete disturb your daily routine. If left unchecked, it could become a tripping hazard for you and others, or cause damage to vehicles as they enter and exit your driveway. No matter where the cracked concrete is occurring, our team has the concrete lifting solutions needed to solve the problem. If you want to learn more about concrete lifting, or you want to schedule a free inspection with one of our specialists, contact us today! We’ve solved concrete problems for homeowners in Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Wheeling, and surrounding areas for nearly two decades, and we’re here to help you too!
