Concrete Lifting

Any and all concrete cracks can pose a threat to the surrounding concrete as well as to your foundation given enough time. However, not every homeowner will have the time to treat every crack or sign of damage they might come across around their home. This is where knowing which cracks can be ignored for a short period of time and which cracks must be treated as soon as possible. Any cracks that measure less than 1/8 inch wide are known as hairline cracks and will not pose any immediate threat to the surrounding concrete, nor will they spread down to the foundation right away. The same can be said for any cracks that measure anywhere between 1/8 and 1/4 inches wide.

Of course, these cracks can also expand at any time, so it is important that you do not leave these cracks alone for too long. Any cracks that measure wider than 1/4 inch must be repaired as soon as possible. Not only can they spread damage out to the surrounding slabs, but they can easily creep down to the foundation, too. You need a concrete lifting solution that will prevent this damage from spreading as well as protect your concrete from being damaged again in the future.

The SettleStop PolyRenewal™ injection foam repair solution will do just that and more. It can stabilize both the supporting soil below and the concrete slabs themselves, filling in any cracks and other damage along the way. The foam is made up of eco-friendly materials as well. If it mixes with water, then it will not ruin your lawn or landscaping. It is a nondisruptive repair solution that will not require any heavy equipment or loud construction to install and will cure in minutes!

Your concrete may be hard to break apart, but if it does not have strong, compact soil supporting its weight, it is susceptible to settling or cracking issues. You will want to set up an appointment with our concrete experts as soon as you can to repair these cracks and uneven slabs.

The soil that supports your concrete is just as important as the concrete slabs themselves. Philadelphia’s silt soils are quite loose and prone to washing out even during milder rainstorms. Combine this with the fact that Philadelphia already has plenty of snow and rain, and that soil is as good as washed away. Settled, uneven concrete slabs also create dangerous tripping hazards and can spread that damage down to the foundation, so it is not a good idea to ignore any of this damage for very long.

Uneven concrete slabs are pretty dangerous on their own, but things get even riskier if it’s an uneven pool deck. The settling that occurs around pool decks are more likely to cause accidents because of the water, and those that don’t know how to swim run the risk of falling into the pool. But what exactly causes uneven pool decks? Is it the same thing that causes concrete settling in your driveway or garage? Well, sort of, but there’s a bit of a twist to it that involves the pool’s construction. A pool is made by digging a hole large enough to fill a pool. Once all the walls are put into place, soil is backfilled around the excavated area until there’s no sign of the hole. The problem with this is that while the soil surrounding the pool is compacted, dense, and capable of holding up the pool, the soil that’s used as backfill is very loose. Because of the soil’s looseness, when the concrete slabs are poured over the soil, it compresses together, forming a gap under the concrete that causes settling. There’s very little that can be done about this during the construction of the pool itself, so all you can do as a homeowner is repair the settled slabs.

Different types of soil have different load-bearing capacities. When a soil’s load-bearing capacity is exceeded, the soil will compact and settle. It’s also possible for the soil beneath a slab to settle and compact of its own accord. Soil that contains large amounts of clay and/or silt will shrink substantially when it gets dry. As the soil compacts underneath a concrete slab, the unsupported slab will sink as well, usually cracking in one or more spots. The soil that is underneath your driveway, patio, or concrete steps may not necessarily remain there to provide adequate support for the concrete element. As water moves underneath your concrete slabs, it can wash away the soil that’s supporting the weight of the concrete. As this happens, it creates a void, or empty space, underneath. Over time, with nothing to support it, your concrete slab can begin to sink or cave in.

Having a beautiful, healthy tree growing on your property makes your yard look interesting and visually pleasing. However, there’s a good chance that your tree is ruining your foundation and causing those pesky leaks in your basement or crawl space. Many homeowners misunderstand how a tree is able to do so much damage and believe that the tree roots themselves are the issue when it’s actually the soil. Like most problems pertaining to foundation damage, expansive soils are the culprits, not the tree roots. The characteristics of clay soils make it so trees encourage shrink-swell capacities and soil displacement.

Call or click for an appointment. One of our design specialists will come to your home and inspect your concrete. They will then sit down with you and explain what caused your issues, how they can be fixed and exactly what it will cost.

We use SettleStop PolyRenewal™ foam to lift and level concrete.

The concrete is ready for use in just 15 minutes!

To level an existing concrete sidewalk our crew injects SettleStop PolyRenewal™ foam into the sidewalk through a pea-sized hole.