When it comes to the quality of concrete surfaces and slabs, perhaps the single largest enemy is well-known: Standing water. Moisture infiltrating the interior of a concrete slab is often one of the first issues that takes place leading to concerns like cracking, sinking or gap formation, and continuous water flow into these areas will only worsen these concerns.
At Lift Right Concrete, we're here to help with any of these issues. From concrete joint and crack sealing to prevent water damage up through concrete lifting and leveling for a variety of surfaces, plus several other services in between, we're happy to provide assistance with any moisture-related concerns taking place on your concrete surfaces, and the resulting impact they may have had. In this multi-part blog series, we'll go over everything you need to know about concrete and standing water: Part one will look at the various reasons it's a hazard, both for concrete and other reasons, while parts two and three will go into some of the methods for preventing it and some precautions we recommend. Let's dig in.
There are several reasons standing water on or near your concrete surfaces are a problem, and the first is their basic hazardous nature. Standing water pools are dangerous, often hiding uneven or underwater walking surfaces that are major trip or falling risks. For property owners, especially commercial property types, potential liability concerns here are no joke and nothing you want to contend with.
In a place like Utah, where the weather gets very cold during the winter, standing water and related moisture deposits carry the additional risk of freezing into ice. This is particularly harmful to concrete surfaces, as this freezing causes expansion and contraction of the water that directly impacts concrete and often leads to significant cracking.
Down related lines, these effects may impact your home or building's foundation, a costly and major issue if it happens. Foundation repairs are a huge cost you don't want to deal with, and preventing standing water from any nearby concrete surfaces, such as garage floors or driveways, is vital.
Over time, if groundwater continues to infiltrate concrete surfaces, it will also impact concrete joints that are in place to support the slab. These will need to be resealed more often to help stop water from causing voids.
Finally, pests and insects are a major risk if you have lots of standing water in your area, especially in the spring and summer. Many insects thrive in moist areas, such as mosquitoes for instance, and these even serve as breeding grounds for many pests.
For more on the issues standing water creates for concrete, or to learn about any of our concrete repair services, speak to the staff at Lift Right Concrete today.
