Protecting Your Concrete Foundation, Walls, and Other Property

There’s nothing worse than seeing your concrete slab, retaining wall, patio, or other structure damaged due to the forces of nature. Many of these things represent substantial financial investments for either your home or business and getting your money’s worth out of them is important. 

In this post, we’ll detail how to protect, repair, and take care of many of your concrete structures so that they’ll be around for years to come. 

Voids Under Your Slab

This is something no one wants to deal with. A hole underneath your slab can lead to serious problems. It can give way and part of your floor will collapse, it can sag and cause your house or business to be unlevel, and it can spread to where you have no foundation left at all. 

Luckily these issues can be fixed. There are methods to fix voids in your concrete slab such as filling in the vacant spot after lifting the slab. You can use a sand-cement grout mixture for small holes, or an expanding polymer foam for large holes. Both of these solutions can save your slab and allow you to prolong the life of your foundation. If that won’t work, you may have to have that section of your slab repaired or new concrete poured. This is the most effective and more permanent solution. 

One thing to note to prevent voids from forming again is to identify the source of the voice, to begin with. Generally, large holes underneath a foundation are caused by poor drainage that leads to sub-ground erosion. 

Wear and Tear Due to Weather 

Weather can wear down just about any concrete you can put up over time. Wind and rain can eat away at the surface of driveways, retaining walls, patios, sidewalks, and other surfaces. 

The best way to prevent this from happening is by properly sealing all your concrete the right way the first time and every 4-5 years afterward. Some owners mistakenly assume that concrete doesn’t need to be sealed or they don’t follow the proper procedure when sealing it. The fact is, concrete has to be sealed 28 days or so after it has cured and is completely dry, and then must be resealed every 4-5 years in order to keep it from being eaten away by the forces of nature. 

Sagging Walls, Patios, and Sidewalks Due to Erosion 

This is a problem many homes and business owners see and it is often due to a lack of proper drainage. Sometimes this is due to the shape of the land, and other times there is simply too much water to drain off properly without eating away at the soil underneath your concrete. 

There are several solutions to prevent erosion around concrete. The most obvious solutions are to improve your drainage system, install gutters and make sure runoff has a place to go. If you’ve done all that, you can try checking for other issues, like plumbing leaks, or improper grading. One last way to keep soil from eroding is to plant shrubs around the concrete area to better hold the soil in place and absorb extra moisture. 

By following these few tips, you can protect your concrete and make it last for years to come. 

Image Credits: Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

source https://nrinews24x7.com/protecting-your-concrete-foundation-walls-and-other-property/

June 04, 2021