Chances are, you have concrete cracks at your Utah home or business. Or if you aren’t facing this issue now, you will soon.
How do we know? Cracking is pretty much inevitable. You can ask any concrete repair contractor -- all slabs develop cracks eventually, that’s just the nature of the material. As for the cause, that may be any of the following.
Cracks can arise as a result of poor preparation when the slab was originally put in place. When the soil isn’t compacted properly, it contains air pockets that cause the concrete to sink.
Clay-heavy soils, which are common throughout Utah, swell when saturated and shrink after drying out. As this repeatedly occurs, it leads to concrete heaving, which leaves sections of the slab cracked.
A mistake during slab installation could be to blame for concrete cracks. This may be the case if the incorrect water-to-cement ratio was used, the footings were faulty or the contractor didn’t allow enough time for the slab to cure.
Excess moisture in the soil under a slab leads to instability and cracking. And when the ground slopes directly toward a slab, water runoff can easily infiltrate the foundation underneath.
Moisture penetration isn’t always due to improper land grading – it can also be the result of drainage issues. Concrete cracks are more likely when gutter downspouts empty out and create pooling water near a slab.
Floods, heavy rainfall and serious plumbing leaks can quickly force a large amount of water into the soil. When this occurs, the foundation under a slab is compromised, which causes it to sink and crack.
Burrowing animals often dig tunnels right under slabs on Utah properties. When mice, voles, rats or other critters create enough empty spaces, the slab settles and the concrete cracks.
A tree that’s too close to a concrete slab can also be the cause of cracking. The roots grow and extend into the underlying soil, and as the root system becomes bigger, the slab can sink and crack.
If your Utah property has cracked concrete, addressing the issue sooner rather than later is in your best interests. The cracking will only worsen as time goes on, and the longer you wait, the more expensive the repair is likely to be.
For expert repair of concrete cracks, northern Utah homeowners and businesses turn to Lift Right Concrete. A leader in the concrete repair industry for over a decade, we offer top-quality service for a reasonable price.
Our professional contractors can restore your cracked slab, lifting it back to its original level position – and in most cases, the work takes just an hour or two. Let the Lift Right Concrete team take care of your concrete cracks. Contact our Grantsville or West Jordan, Utah, office and schedule a free concrete repair consultation today.
