Concrete Lifting

Unfortunately, there are no safe do-it-yourself fixes that resolve soil shrinkage, compaction, and settling issues at the source. There are, however, some methods that you can employ to prevent soil problems. Keep in mind they are not perfect and do not compare to the services that professional contractors can provide.   

• Repairing Soil  

Preventing compacted or settled soil is quite simple. Using compost (such as food items in the process of decomposing) can help provide nutrients, which improves aeration and water drainage among soil particles. With time, beneficial organisms, such as the earthworm, will make their way into this healthy soil, further improving its quality and filtration by keeping soil particles loose and aerated. You can also purchase earthworms yourself at a local garden or hardware store. 

You should be sure to cultivate your healthy soil lightly. This means using small-rooted plants rather than large plants, such as trees. These can help water drainage by intaking excess water through their roots. If you go overboard, however, you could risk damage to your foundation when the roots get out of control. 

• Concrete Repair  

While the above methods can certainly prevent or delay soil problems, they will not be effective solutions if you already have soil shrinkage, compaction, or settling occurring underneath your concrete. It is strongly recommended that you contact professional contractors to help you because they know how to safely and properly remove concrete, repair your soil, and replace the concrete on top. 

Working with concrete yourself can put you at risk for injury or unintentional structural damage. This can have even more negative consequences than if you left the problem alone. Most of all, it can be more costly than if you were to have a professional to do it for you. 

Shrinking, compacting, and settling soils seems to be an inescapable problem—something that you may have to deal with sooner or later. Luckily, there are things that you can do to prevent these soil and concrete problems, right in the comfort of your home. 

• Control Outdoor Watering  

The primary reasons soil shrinkage, compaction, and settling happens are related to water. Although you cannot control the amount of rainfall, you can control the amount of watering that you perform. Controlling the amount of watering, whether it be via automatic sprinkler systems or manual hosing, can help to prevent soil shrinkage, compaction, and settling. You may not expect that watering your plants away from your concrete cannot possibly affect the soil underneath your concrete, but water can make its way through the soil quite easily when given the chance. 

You want to take great care not to oversaturate the soil so that it does not shrink when the water evaporates from it. It is also good to prevent this oversaturating your soil because it can easily become compressed and settled underneath your concrete. If you have a landscape that needs tending, consider watering during the cooler parts of the day so that evaporation from the soil does not occur suddenly. You may also want to consider exchanging some of your plants for drought-resistant plants that require much less water to survive.  

• Controlling Pressure on Concrete  

Although water is the main culprit behind soil shrinkage, compaction, and settling, any additional pressure on your soil can hasten these problems. If you have a lot of footwork or heavy objects on areas of concrete you suspect may be experiencing shrinking, compacting, or settling soils, you might want to consider minimizing movement or additional pressure onto your concrete slabs. 

Luckily, this is as simple as it sounds. If you have problems with your concrete driveway, try parking your car inside your garage (if you can make space or have one) or even alongside the curb of your house. Heavy decorative items can be moved to other stable locations in your landscape. You may also want to redirect the inhabitants of your home away from overused walkways in your yard, allowing them to take an alternative path. 

Though most homeowners don’t dwell on the state of the concrete slabs that are in and around the home, once a problem sign is spotted, it’s easy to panic. Some homeowners might feel the need to go with an overall replacement for their concrete driveway, sidewalk, or floors, but that might not always be helpful. 

• Concrete Lifting  

Concrete lifting is a relatively easy and safe process, which can be completed within a short period of time. The PolyRenewal system used by Ohio Basement Systems takes 15 minutes to cure, allowing the concrete slab to be used almost immediately. It’s also less invasive, so you don’t have to tear up landscaping or endanger nearby structures just to get your concrete slabs back in working order. 

On top of the ease and effectiveness, concrete lifting is also more cost-effective. Replacing full slabs can run you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Meanwhile, concrete lifting may be a fraction of that, even if you choose the more expensive PolyRenewal option. If you pair that to the fast set-up time of concrete lifting, the cost of labor drops by an impressive margin. 

• Concrete Replacement 

Some homeowners believe a full replacement is the key to getting the job done right, and in some instances, that’s correct. It’s possible that your concrete slabs are damaged or cracked beyond repair. Trying to patch or lift these would only lead to reoccurring issues and an aesthetic nightmare.  

A professional will be able to assess the state of your concrete and give you recommendations accordingly. Ohio Basement Systems will even provide you with a free quote so you can understand the cost of replacement up front. Depending on the amount of damage present, you may be able to find additional funding through homeowner’s insurance. 

However, the process of fully replacing any concrete slabs is highly invasive. It will take several days to break up the remaining concrete, haul it out, dispose of it, and prepare the area for a new pour. Once that’s established, new concrete will be mixed, poured, and then undergo a curing process. It can take several days for the concrete to fully set up. All in all, replacement takes more labor, equipment, and invasive gear, which may become damaging to your landscape or a risk to surrounding structures. In some cases, it will be necessary, but it will also be a last resort. 

Depending on what caused the fissures to develop in your concrete, it may be possible to halt the damage and begin repairing it with concrete lifting. This is a process best done by professionals who have years of experience and the right equipment. A local expert can inspect your home, determine the factors that caused the issue, and then apply one of two solutions: 

• Mudjacking 

A rather invasive process, mudjacking requires drilling holes into the concrete that are roughly over an inch in diameter. Once the process is completed, the expert will then inject a concrete slurry that will begin to set up underneath your concrete. In a few days, once it’s hardened, it will provide your concrete with the support it needs to bear heavy loads and stop collapsing under its own weight. Of course, this does not resolve issues in the soil, and that can make it non-viable for some homeowners. 

Aside from the defacement of the concrete being fixed, mudjacking is also a lengthy process. The material used to inject at the bottom of the concrete slabs can take up to days to fully cure, leaving homeowners in a tight spot. If the fix is being applied to the driveway or walkway, those areas may be avoided for some time, which isn’t always doable.  

• Polyurethane Foam 

Ohio Basement Systems uses an innovative PolyRenewal injection to bring life back into sinking concrete slabs. An immediate benefit to this type of injection is the small sites needed to inject the foam, making it a less invasive solution. The polyurethane foam works to stabilize the concrete slabs and lift them up into their original position. As a plus, it’s extremely lightweight, so it’s unlikely to make soil issues worse.  

PolyRenewal also comes with waterproof properties, allowing it to withstand many more years of wear and tear. It can repel water rather than absorbing it, unlike concrete, and it cures in as little as 15 minutes. This allows homeowners to use it right away, without the need to put their driveways, sidewalks, or basements out of commission for long stretches of time. 

While it is true that not all trees around a property will cause damage to it, all trees possess the potential to cause concrete and foundation damage. There are some that are more damaging than others, however. 

Adverse Conditions Make Roots Dangerous 

Trees are essentially the apex when it comes to plant life, and they require a lot of space and resources due to their huge size and long lifespan. This is not a problem in rural settings where they can spread without issue. Cities are a different matter, however. If trees do not have enough nutrients or water, they will spread their roots over large distances to find them. If there is more than one tree in close proximity, their roots may start to compete. 

If these competing roots come together at a relatively shallow depth, it is very likely that they will begin to push upward and cause damage to any structures above them. Even if this doesn’t happen, it is important to remember that tree roots grow in circumference as they mature. As such, even roots that do not have issues with competing trees may cause damage as they get older. 

Watch Out for Suckers 

There are certain species of trees that are more dangerous than others to concrete structures because of the way they send up new plants along the lengths of their roots. These plants are referred to as suckers and they can cause many problems. They sprout roots of their own as well as push through even small spaces between concrete slabs. A buildup of these suckers can substantially increase the stress a concrete surface or structure is under. 

There are not many trees in Ohio that do this, but the sweetgum tree, which is native to the northern half of the state, is frequently planted around Cleveland. Likewise, cottonwood trees, which are often planted in this area, send out suckers too. This is something you should keep in mind when planting trees around your property. 

We understand that most people are on a budget, and home improvement can quickly take a bite out of your allotted funds. That’s why we prioritize free inspections and no-obligation quotes to ensure you completely understand what lies ahead in your repairs. An inspector will always be able to give you a more accurate figure, based on your unique home, but a few things remain consistent: 

• Cost  

The cost of concrete lifting is much less when compared to a full replacement. Full replacement costs have to cover not only the removal of the concrete, but the labor, the cleanup, and the material costs for pouring new concrete. Depending on where the slabs are located, and how difficult it is to replace them, this may cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. 

Concrete lifting is about labor and materials, without the removal and as much of the cleanup. This means the expense of concrete lifting is about half the amount of a full replacement. You can also benefit from a warranty on all the work we perform, so if any mistakes or issues arise, you can trust skilled professionals to come and put everything right.   

• Lifespan  

The positive results of concrete lifting have an impressively long lifespan. If there is an excellent drainage system and proper sealing, a concrete lift can go on forever. The materials used within a concrete lift, especially using the PolyRenewal system, are strong and durable. They can hold up a substantial amount of weight, minimizing the potential for any future problem to arise. When exposed to average wear and tear, most don’t require any updates or maintenance for decades at a time. 

Of course, there are factors that can shorten how long the repair job holds up. Concrete lifting is not alone in this, as it can happen to a full concrete replacement as well. Factors such as weather, use, soil issues, drainage, and materials can impact how long concrete lifting endures. Once the process is complete, you can always schedule a yearly inspection to have a professional look over your concrete, foundation, and other areas of your home to make sure they last even longer.