October and Haunting Concrete Problems

It’s October!! Usually this means cooler temperatures, but for Memphis and the surrounding areas, we have yet to see FALL! What we have seen is an extreme lack of rain and high temperatures. This has resulted in basically everything drying out.. Leaves.. Grass.. Everything!!

So you’re probably asking what all of this has to do with your concrete, but it has a TON to do with problems that your concrete could be facing!! The most common problems that we see are the sinking and settling of concrete, as well as cracking throughout the slab. In order to find a solid solution, let’s look at what causes these problems!

• The Reasons Concrete Fail
  • The soil below your slab is poorly compacted.
    • Fill Soil
      • When land developers and builders moved soil around to prepare the site for construction, this created an additional top layer of fill soil. Concrete slabs are poured over these areas of fill. That film even if it was compacted well with special equipment, is not as stable as the native soils below. When fill soils consolidate and settle, voids form under the slab. The slab eventually cracks and falls into these voids. .
• Your soil is too dry.
  • Dry- Out
    • Another common cause of concrete settlement is the drying and shrinking of the soil below the slab. During drought conditions (which we seem to be facing currently in Memphis), or even just seasons of high temps combined with low precipitation, the soil under the slab can dry out and shrink. This leaves voids for concrete above to crack and shrink into.
• Your soil is too wet.
  • Wash- Out
    •  When the rain returns after a dry-out, the water now has an easier pathway under the slab, due to cracks and crevices from the drier time. Soil under the slab becomes saturated and soft- or washes completely away.

Here in Memphis, we’re facing a dry-out. Soil that was being DRENCHED just a few months ago, is now completely dried out, causing the cracks you can see, and the settling that might not be as obvious to the eye.

Now onto solutions!! Here at Redeemers Group, we offer INCREDIBLE solutions to cracking and settling of concrete. Here are a few highlights of our amazing system:

• PolyLevel System
  • Uses lightweight, structural- grade polymers to lift, level, and stabilize slabs.
  • Minimum number of pea-sized holes are drilled into the slab (preserving the appearance of the slab), then specialized equipment is used to inject the polymers to lift, level, and stabilize slabs
  • After the voids are filled, the specially formulated material expands. This provides precise lifting and stabilization of the slab without adding any significant weight.  In effect, the slab floats on this ultra-light, waterproof and wash-out-proof material without increasing pressure on weak or unstable soils.
• Advantages
  • Improves appearance
  • Keeps friends and family safe (reducing trip hazards)
  • Restores property value
  • Best on problem soils
    • At less than 4 lbs. per cubic ft (vs. 120 lbs. with new concrete or mudjacking), it won’t cause repeat sinking.
  • Little interruption
  • Waterproof and super long- lasting
  • High- capacity lifting strength
    • Typical lifting force ranges from 2,000 to 4,000 lbs per square ft.
  • Environmentally friendly
    • Doesn’t deteriorate underground. As an alternative to concrete replacement, it also reduces demand for energy- intensive concrete production.

A lot of homeowners like to put problems like these on the backburner… Thinking they can wait, but these problems will keep growing in number, as well as cost. The longer you wait to repair these problems, the more expensive the repair.

                Give Redeemers Group a call TODAY to schedule one of our free inspections. We repair all walks of concrete life:

• Interior floor slabs
• Driveways
• Sidewalks
• Patios/ Pool Decks
• Steps and Porches
• Additions to the home
• Garage floors

Don’t let your problem get more expensive!! Call today!