Concrete is one of the most durable and long-lasting building materials used in residential construction. Whether it’s the home's foundation, driveway, walkways, pool decking or patio, concrete plays a critical role in the structural integrity and aesthetic appeal of your home. However, despite its strength, concrete is not immune to the wear and tear of time and the elements. As a contractor specializing in concrete repair and maintenance, I can’t stress enough the importance of maintaining the concrete around your home. Failing to do so can lead to safety hazards, water damage, and expensive repairs that could have been easily avoided. This article will explore the many reasons why maintaining concrete is essential, and how regular upkeep can save you from future headaches.

1. Prevent Trip Hazards and Ensure Safety

One of the most immediate reasons to maintain the concrete around your home is to prevent trip hazards. Uneven or cracked concrete surfaces can become dangerous, especially in high-traffic areas like sidewalks, driveways, pool decking, or patios. Over time, soil settlement, tree roots, and freeze-thaw cycles can cause concrete slabs to shift, tilt, or crack. These irregularities not only create unsightly blemishes on your property but also pose a serious risk to residents, visitors, and even delivery personnel.

If someone trips and falls on your property, you could be liable for medical costs and face legal consequences. Ensuring that all walkways and driveways are level, smooth, and free from cracks is not only an aesthetic priority but a safety one as well. Simple maintenance steps, like concrete leveling or sealing cracks, can mitigate the risk of accidents.

2. Maintain the Structural Integrity of Your Home

The foundation of your home is, quite literally, what keeps your house standing strong. Cracks in your foundation or uneven concrete can indicate deeper structural issues that, if left unchecked, could lead to severe damage to your home. These cracks often start small, barely noticeable at first. However, over time, they can widen and compromise the entire structure of your house.

Foundation problems are often caused by poor soil conditions, water infiltration, or natural settling of the ground. Regular inspections and maintenance of the foundation can help identify these issues early before they evolve into significant problems. Concrete leveling, soil stabilization, and crack repairs can all help restore the strength of your foundation and prevent long-term structural damage.

3. Extend the Life of Your Concrete

Like any other part of your home, concrete has a lifespan. However, with proper maintenance, that lifespan can be extended significantly. Cracks, chips, and surface imperfections may seem like small, cosmetic issues, but they can lead to much bigger problems if ignored. Water, dirt, and chemicals can seep into these small openings, causing further damage.

For instance, during colder months, any water that seeps into cracks can freeze and expand, causing the cracks to widen. Similarly, in warmer climates, UV exposure can degrade the surface, leading to weakening and crumbling over time. Applying sealants, patching cracks, and addressing drainage issues can keep your concrete in good shape for years to come.

Concrete maintenance is a small investment compared to the cost of replacing large slabs or an entire foundation. Routine care, such as sealing and resurfacing, can ensure that your concrete remains strong and functional for decades, providing you with peace of mind and preventing costly replacements down the road.

4. Prevent Costly Repairs

Homeowners often underestimate how expensive concrete repairs can be. Replacing a damaged driveway or repairing a crumbling foundation can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Worse, structural damage can lead to even more costly repairs if it affects other parts of your home, such as walls, windows, or plumbing systems.

Regular maintenance allows you to catch small issues before they become large, expensive problems. For example, concrete leveling can correct uneven surfaces, and sealing cracks can prevent them from spreading. Routine inspections by a professional can help you spot potential problems early, allowing you to address them before they require major repairs.

The cost of preventative maintenance is minimal compared to the price of a full concrete replacement. Spending a few hundred dollars now on concrete maintenance could save you from spending thousands later on repairs.

5. Protect Your Home from Water Damage

Water is one of the biggest enemies of concrete. Over time, moisture can seep into cracks, leading to erosion, weakening, and even the growth of mold and mildew. If water seeps into your foundation, it can cause serious structural damage, leading to issues like basement flooding, foundation shifting, and mold growth, which can affect the air quality inside your home.

Proper concrete maintenance helps protect your home against water damage. Sealing cracks and joints prevents water from infiltrating the surface. Installing proper drainage systems, like French drains, ensures that water is directed away from your home’s foundation, protecting both the concrete and the structural integrity of your house.

Water-related concrete damage can be especially problematic in regions that experience freeze-thaw cycles. During the winter, water that has seeped into cracks can freeze and expand, causing the cracks to widen further. In warmer weather, this cycle continues, gradually worsening the condition of your concrete. By keeping your concrete sealed and properly graded, you can protect it from water damage and the problems that come with it.

6. Boost Curb Appeal and Property Value

Concrete surfaces, such as driveways, sidewalks, and patios, are highly visible aspects of your home’s exterior. Damaged or deteriorating concrete can detract from the overall curb appeal of your property. Conversely, well-maintained concrete enhances the appearance of your home, making it more attractive to potential buyers if you ever decide to sell.

Buyers are likely to be concerned about the condition of the foundation and other concrete elements of a home. A well-maintained property not only looks better but also signals to buyers that the home has been well cared for. This can lead to a higher resale value and a quicker sale.

7. Environmental Responsibility

Maintaining your concrete also has environmental benefits. By taking steps to extend the life of your concrete, you’re reducing the need for new materials, which conserves resources and reduces waste. Concrete production is energy-intensive and contributes to CO2 emissions, so keeping your existing concrete in good condition is a responsible choice for the environment.

 Conclusion

Maintaining the concrete around your home is essential for ensuring the safety, longevity, and value of your property. By addressing issues such as cracks, uneven surfaces, and water damage early on, you can prevent costly repairs, protect your home’s structural integrity, and extend the life of your concrete surfaces. Regular inspections and professional maintenance, including leveling, crack sealing, and soil stabilization, are small investments that offer significant returns in terms of safety, curb appeal, and long-term savings.

As a contractor, I’ve seen firsthand the costly consequences of neglected concrete. Don’t wait until it’s too late—take proactive steps to maintain the concrete around your home and enjoy peace of mind for years to come.

Slab-on-grade or floating slab foundations are a structural engineering practice where the concrete slab, that is to serve as the foundation for the structure, is formed from a mold set into the ground. The concrete is then placed into the mold, leaving no space between the ground and the structure. There is no basement and no crawl space. Cracks in concrete floors often indicate slab settlement problems. This issue is most commonly found in “slab-on-grade” homes and buildings. It's when the floor slab is closer to the surface of the ground and therefore more affected by changes in the soil beneath.

When changes occur in the moisture content, and density of the soils beneath a concrete slab, the result is usually slab cracking and settlement.

The most common causes of slab cracking  and settlement are:

• Soil that Dries and Shrinks
• Erosion or Washout of Soil
• Poorly Compacted Fill Soil

These causes, among others, will eventually create a void beneath the concrete slab. If the slab isn't strong enough to span the void, it will eventually settle and break. The result is a cracked, sunken concrete slab. And once this occurs, you will most likely start to notice other signs of foundation damage throughout your home or building such as jammed doors or cracks in the walls and ceilings.

Rather than breaking the inside slab of an established home, there are solutions to this issue. Polyurethane foam for lifting settled slabs is a very successful repair for slab on grade settlement. Don't let the word "foam" fool you.  Structural grade polyurethane foam is engineered for heavy lifting such as this. Settled slabs are lifted, soil beneath the home is stabilized, cracks in drywall close, doors are opening and closing well again, etc. This process of concrete leveling and stabilization can be completed in a matter of a few days.

Let us be your cost effective alternative to replacement.
Call today for more information
Concrete Corrections 770-558-5862

We want to ring in the New Year with great savings from Concrete Corrections.  Do you have settled concrete or erosion problems around your home?

Take $100 Off your next home project estimate!
Please mention this ad during your free site visit.

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This offer expires 1/31/2017

Happy first day of summer y'all!  So, by now most homeowners have their money pit, I mean swimming pools, open.  It's summer vacation and the neighborhood kids hang out and swim all day. Maybe the neighbors come over in the evenings for a cook out.  Do you have that area around the pool where you don't want anyone to see or use? It can be blocked off with planters or outdoor furniture? Put some bright colored tape down, so no one trips. . . 

Settled pool decking, what happened? How in the world do you fix this, and WHO do I call for this? These are some popular questions from pool owners. To start, the first question tends to fall into two categories: Is there a leak in the pool liner or skimmer? Or was the area not compacted properly during construction? Often times, we see settled or sunken concrete slabs around pools that have simply dropped over time because the soil underneath has finally compacted, which is no longer supporting the weight of pool decking above. If you're lucky, and the company who installed the pool decking layed out the joints correctly, the settled decking piece may not have a new crack across the middle, but is still in good shape.  In cases where there was a leak somewhere around the pool, there tend to be larger voided areas and greater degrees of settlement. (We recommend getting that leak fixed first!)

Please remember, before beginning any pool deck repair project, the first and most important step is to figure out what caused the damage and then determine the best repair procedure for solving the problem.

There are a few ways to fixed settled concrete around the swimming pool. One traditional way of repairing sunken concrete is to simply "tear it out and replace it". This is sometimes more easily said than done. Things get tricky when it comes to the back area of a home. Fancy landscaping, distance to the area of repair, matching decorative finishes and time frame for repair are just a few.

Polyurethane foam injection for lifting and supporting swimming pool decks is becoming a more and more popular method of repair. The injection holes tend to be small (approximately 5/8" in diameter), polyurethane foam is incredibly lightweight but very strong, it cures instantly and areas are ready for use immediately, and there is little to no disturbance to landscape around the area. There are so many reasons polyurethane foam is the perfect solution to lift / support settled slabs around the pool!

In today's world, it can be overwhelming to have to educate yourself on the problem at hand, then find the correct solution for your settled concrete issues.

Give us a call today to find out how polyurethane foam injection may be your solution for lifting and supporting settled pool decks.
Call 770-558-5862

1. The Problem Always Gets Worse
If a slab has cracked or has begun to sink, the issue will not eventually stop or fix itself,  it WILL continue to get worse. And when problems get worse, the cost of fixing the issue increases.

2. Resale Value Of Your Home
Today's homebuyer doesn't typically want to purchase a home with an unleveled driveway and front walkway, a stoop pulling away from the house, or floors that are cracked and sinking. First impression does make a difference in some cases. Also, be prepared for this to be a "bargaining chip" in the price offer.

3. Appearance
Concrete slabs with large voids or settled and uneven do not look safe.

4. Safety
Settled or unlevel concrete is unsafe. As a homeowner or landlord, this is incredibly dangerous and open you up to unwanted liability.

5. Water Intrusion
Cracks are exposed to the surrounding environment and when cracks let in water, damage can worsen.

6. Pooling Water
Unlevel concrete will encourage low spots where standing water will pool.  In cooler months, these pools can freeze, which causes more safety concerns and further damage.

7. Structural Damage
Shifting concrete on a ground level can affect the structures above the slab. As a result, doors and windows will start to stick and other structural damages throughout your home may occur. Load bearing walls should be watched closely. If the problem is left too long, cost of repair will increase significantly.

For Further Info:
Contact Us Today 770-558-5862
[email protected]

Laying down pipelines has always been a back breaking job, but some pipeline companies are utilizing a technology that can ease the process along -- spray foam.

Traditionally sand bags were stacked in the trench around a pipeline at about 50 foot intervals on inclined stretches. Used for erosion control, the sand bags for breakers would slow the flow of water down the trench.

And now, life can be made a little easier with the latest in spray foam insulation technology
- experts can prepare a trench breaker in minutes
- conformed to any shape or condition the application requires
- spray foam expands 120 times per second
- forming a watertight barrier that won’t break down over time
- polyurethane helps hold welded joints together
- acts as rock shield

- the pipes themselves can also be insulated
- It’s also environmentally friendly, containing no CFCs, formaldehyde or ozone depleting agents.

This now means pipeline companies are going to be spending less on labor as spray foam is a much more pain free solution to erosion control.

Stacking the 30-50 pound sand bags around the pipelines has always been one of the most physically demanding jobs on the site. Laborers would have to stand in the bottom of the trench and position the heavy sandbags around the pipeline by hand.

Spray foam is faster! With one or two workers, breakers can be installed in 15-20 minutes, an hour long job for crews with sand bags. Using spray foam can be a cost saver for pipeline companies for that reason.

In addition to decreasing expenditures for pipeline companies, spray foam is also a matter of being environmentally responsible.

By adhering to the pipe and to the bank, spray foam is very efficient at erosion control and helps to prevent wash outs. Additionally, because of the rigidity of the foam and its adherent qualities, it is very effective at keeping the pipelines in place. Spray foam prevents the pipes form moving and causing an environmental disaster.


For more info on spray foam breakers or polyurethane for erosion control, call 770-558-5862

Soil and concrete are constantly moving. When you have poor compaction and erosion involved, things REALLY move. Sidewalk slabs are  forever shifting and one of the quick and inexpensive "fixes" is to grind the concrete down to level.

One of the problems is that grinding leaves unsightly marks on the finished surface, which some people don't necessarily mind. But for those that have decorative finishes on driveways and pool decking, this is a serious concern that they should know about ahead of time.

The real concern here is that the REASON the concrete settled in the first place.  Most likely poor compaction or erosion has affected this area, causing slab movement. When grinding the slab, you are essentially shaving off the top side to make level for walking. Nothing is done to stabilize the soil beneath the slab, and so there is a very good chance for resettlement in the future. Especially since water has now found it's way past the walkway or path of least resistance.

By injecting structural grade polyurethane material below the slab and lifting the slab back toward original position, you've now pushed down (or compacted) the compromised soil, void filled where soil has been eroded out, and lifted the slab back up. From the top, the sidewalk looks like it did years ago, the colors all match and the slabs are fully supported.

Believe it or not, lifting and leveling sunken concrete pricing is very cost effective. We always suggest that homeowners look at all of their options before making a decision. Compare the pros & cons, pricing and estimated time the fix will last.

To find out more about lifting and supporting settled concrete slabs, contact us today 770-558-5862 or email [email protected]

A sunken concrete slab whether a sidewalk, driveway, pool deck or patio, will eventually need a concrete repair or replacement. The decision will often come down to the cost, benefits and capability. 

Planning to replace your sunken concrete, yourself? If so, keep in mind that you'll need to not only pour a new slab, including building a form and finishing the new concrete, you'll need to remove the old concrete. This means breaking it up and hauling it away.

Another point to remember is, WHY did the settlement occur in the first place? When replacing concrete, it is important to make sure the soil base is solid. Otherwise, your newly poured concrete may move and settle again in the near future.

If you're like most in-ground pool owners your concrete pool deck has settled in one or more places causing trip hazards and unsightly conditions. You may have considered having it torn out and replaced but have been holding off due to the expense and inconveniences associated with doing so. 

With the use of structural grade Polyurethane Foam, we are capable of lifting and leveling settled concrete slabs around pool decks with very minimal disruptions and typically for 1/2 the cost of replacement.

When the concrete begins to settle you will be able to see signs such as cracks in the slabs, puddling water, trip hazards between sections and/or excessive sloping from and separation at the pool coping. Signs may occur within months or take years to develop but the sooner you identify them, and stabilize the soil, the less damage there will be to the concrete and your pool.

With Concrete Corrections, you have a cost effective alternative and a less disruptive solution to repairing your settled concrete. Often times, pool deck projects can be completed in 1 day and the areas are cured and ready to use immediately. So, you're under a time crunch with selling your home or planning that Labor Day Party, we can work with you on a timely schedule.
We lift and support settled concrete, void fill and stabilize soil all over Atlanta and North Georgia. Call Today 770-558-5862