I Have Sinking Concrete — Now What?

Apr 11, 2018 | Cement Leveling Houston

Warmer weather is upon us here in the Houston area, and many homeowners are tackling those property maintenance tasks that they couldn’t get to in the winter months. This may include getting your pool ready for the summer months ahead and taking the covers off of your patio furniture. During the course of these tasks, some homeowners may discover that their property has been plagued with sinking concrete. Thankfully, Tilted Concrete Solutions is here to help. If you have a sunken patio, pool deck, or another cement surface, contact us to request a free estimate!

If you find that your concrete has settled, you may have a sinking feeling in your stomach. If you’re not sure what to do, today’s post is for you. Continue reading to learn what steps you should take once you discover settling slabs around your Houston property.

What to Do When You Discover Sinking Concrete

Investigate to Find the Cause

There are many reasons why concrete sinks, and a quick assessment of the conditions on your property may help you determine what is causing the problem. A couple of the most common causes of sinking concrete include:

  • Soil shrinkage. Soil that has a high amount of clay and/or silt may lose volume as it dries out after being saturated.
  • Poor soil compaction. If the soil was not properly compacted before the slab was poured, it may begin to settle, causing the concrete to sink.
  • Washout and erosion. Subsurface water can slowly eat away and the soil beneath slabs, causing them to settle and become uneven.

If you cannot visually determine the cause of your sinking concrete, it may be beneficial to speak with your neighbors to determine if they are experiencing the same issue. Often times, settling concrete can be traced back to poor grading practices during construction. When poor compaction is not to blame, the unique qualities of Texas soil may be the cause.

Research Concrete Leveling Companies

With a quick search online, you’ll discover that there are many concrete leveling companies in the Houston area who are eager for your business. Speaking with neighbors for referrals and reading customer testimonials can help you locate a reputable contractor. It is also helpful to look for a company that offers some type of warranty on their workmanship and those that are transparent about their process. Some may use traditional mudjacking techniques, while others rely on innovative polyurethane foam to lift concrete. Finding a contractor that suits your needs and your budget is important to obtaining the best concrete leveling services.

Schedule an Appointment

Once you have researched contractors and obtained estimates for concrete lifting, it is important to schedule an appointment for the work to be completed as soon as possible. While it can be tempting to delay in hiring a contractor, doing so can be problematic for many reasons. Uneven surfaces can make your property appear ill-maintained, and they can pose a serious tripping hazard for anyone who is walking around your property. Sinking concrete can negatively impact your home’s market value, causing you to receive less-than-desirable offers on your home if you are trying to sell it. Additionally, uneven concrete slabs allow for rainwater and other types of surface water to seep beneath the slab. This can cause a troublesome cycle of erosion and further settling that can cost more to repair than it would if you had tackled it early on.

Solutions for Sinking Concrete in Houston!

Have you discovered sinking concrete surfaces surrounding your Houston property? If so, then it is important to take action as soon as possible to remedy the problem. Our experienced team of concrete levelers at Tilted Concrete Solutions will gladly inspect your settled slabs to determine the root cause of the trouble, and then we will devise a concrete lifting plan to restore beauty and safety to your property. We carefully inject an eco-friendly polyurethane foam beneath the slab to lift it back to its proper position, a concrete leveling process that is effective and efficient. Once the job is done, we will stand behind our work with an industry-leading, two-year warranty. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Contact us to get started — we can’t wait to help you!