Does My Sunken Slab Need to be Repaired?

Some people may think that the only problem with a sunken slab is visual. While a sunken slab is unlikely to be visually appealing, depending on its location and how it is sinking, it can also pose a trip hazard, prevent proper drainage and shorten the lifespan of your concrete.

And of course if the slab in question is your home’s foundation, plenty more significant problems can and probably will arise.

Does my sunken slab need to be repaired?

Problems Caused by Sunken Slabs

Tripping hazards

Be it because two adjacent slabs have sunk different amounts or because the stresses caused by the sinking have caused cracks, a sunken slab can be a hazard to walk on. This tripping hazard can be a serious issue as trips and falls are among the top sources of injury claims on homeowner’s insurance policies.

The cracks or uneven joints associated with sunken slabs aren’t ideal for car or bicycle tires either. 

Drainage

If done properly, the grading of your yard and concrete slabs such as porches and driveways should direct water away from your house, where over time it can cause problems ranging from foundation failure to bowing basement walls to water infiltrating your basement.

If your porch or driveway sinks in such a way that water begins to flow back toward your home, all of these problems suddenly come back into play.

The basement or crawl space could flood in a storm, and water can also erode the soil underneath your foundation.

Crumbling Concrete

When concrete sinks, it doesn’t necessarily sink evenly. The stress of this can cause ever worsening cracking over time, shortening the life of the concrete slab.

The price tag for leveling sinking concrete is less than replacing the entire slab, especially given the issue causing the sinking must be addressed anyway or the new slab will suffer the same fate as the old one.

Causes of a Sunken Slab

There are several reasons that a slab can sink. It is more common for a portion of the slab to sink than the whole concrete area. 

Poorly Compressed Soil

If the soil beneath the slab wasn’t properly compressed during construction, the weight of the slab can push the soil down, allowing the concrete surface to sink. 

Erosion

Heavy rains, broken pipes, and other causes of water flow can wash the soil out from under the concrete slab. The concrete will then sink into the hole, becoming uneven or breaking.

Best Solution for a Sunken Slab Repair 

uneven and lifted concrete sidewalk

You may still find contractors that recommend you break up the concrete and pour a new slab. This is expensive, time-consuming, and doesn’t address the problem that caused the slab to sink in the first place.

After wasting the money of demolition and then re-pouring the concrete, then waiting days for the slab to cure, you’ve done nothing to prevent the soil from compressing or washing away again. Some contractors may add more concrete to the void, but all that does is add more weight to the weak soil, making it even more likely that you will have another sunken slab eventually.

There is a better solution, one that Airlift Concrete Experts has been using for over a decade: polyurethane foam concrete lifting. Also known as polyjacking or polylifting, it eliminates the problems associated with other slab repair methods. Polylifting uses a polyurethane foam that expands, lifting the slab and sealing the underside portion of the concrete.

Expense

Using polyjacking methods is exponentially more cost-effective than demolishing the concrete. Heavy equipment will be needed to break up the concrete and then to pick up the debris. The equipment, personnel, and time for the demolition cost money. Then you have to pay someone to pour the new concrete. The dollar signs will be lighting up a contractor’s eyes if you go this route.

Time

The entire polylifting process takes less than an hour to complete in the majority of situations. The process involves drilling fewer and smaller holes than other methods, so clean up takes less time. The foam cures in about 15 minutes, so it’s a race to which is done first: the cleanup or the curing. As soon as they’re both done, you can use your concrete slab again.

Effectiveness

While removing and replacing the concrete doesn’t address the underlying problem that caused the slab to sink in the first place, foam lifting does. The polyurethane foam compresses the soil as it expands. It not only lifts the slab to within 1/10th of an inch, but it makes sure the underlying soil is stable. In addition, the foam is water-resistant so it won’t wash away like soil or the slurry used in mudjacking. The foam also fills in the gaps and cracks on the underside of the slab, preventing water from flowing through the slab, undermining the stability of the concrete surface.

Learn More About Polyjacking

Although polyjacking has been around for a long time, many homeowners are unfamiliar with it. If you have a sunken slab, contact a contractor that specializes in polylifting before you commit to demolishing the concrete. Get all the facts and make an informed decision about keeping your family and property safe. A strong, stable slab isn’t something that you should make a rash decision about.

Contact the polyjacking experts at Airlift Concrete Experts today to learn more about all the services we offer to help keep your home strong, stable, and safe.

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