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7 Reasons It's Important to Maintain Concrete Around the Home : A Contractor's Perspective

9/10/2024

 
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.
Settled concrete front walkway
Settled concrete front walkway
Void area under driveway
Void area under driveway

Happy Halloween from Concrete Corrections

10/31/2013

3 Comments

 
The kids will be out trick-or-treating through out Georgia and Metro Atlanta tonight and we can't emphasize enough to Repair Trip Hazards around your home in sidewalks, driveways and front porches.

Do you plan on handing out candy at your house on Halloween? If so, there are a few things you should know:

1. If you're a homeowner, you have a responsibility to keep your property safe for those who come onto your property. This generally applies to renters who live in single-family homes as well.

2. If you don't, you can be held legally responsible if someone is injured or falls on your property.

Premises Liability (also called slip and fall) is the legal responsibility that property owners have for injuries that occur on their property. If a person slips, trips, or falls as a result of a dangerous or hazardous condition, the property owner may be fully responsible.

Generally, people think of snow and ice as dangerous conditions, but here are some others that you may not even think twice about:

  • electrical cords used to power Halloween displays
  • decorations that stick out of the ground
  • burned out porch lights you've been meaning to replace
  • uneven walkways, driveways and porches


What if You're a Renter?
If you rent, the landlord or management company is typically responsible for keeping the property safe. There are exceptions though, especially with single-family units. Refer to your lease agreement and read it carefully prior to Halloween so you understand your responsibilities.

Tips for Homeowners
To protect trick-or-treaters and yourself, please keep the following in mind:

  • Repair damaged sidewalks and steps or clearly mark dangerous areas.
  • Remove tripping hazards from your lawn, steps, driveways, and walkways.
  • Be sure your walkways and stairs are well-lit leading to your door.
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According to the National Safety Council:
- Over 9 million disabling slip/fall injuries occur per year
- 25,000 injuries/day and 175,000/week
- Resulting in 95 million lost work days
- Expenses from these injuries = $35 million/hr everyday of the year.
- This is a $100 billion problem each year.
- The average cost per slip/fall accident was $20,228.00




Call Concrete Corrections today for your free estimate 770-558-5862
We offer Military, Senior and HOA discounts.
3 Comments

ADA Compliance

7/18/2013

8 Comments

 
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 defines a ‘trip hazard’ as any vertical change of over 1/4 inch or more at any joint or crack. Since the ADA demands strict compliance, trip hazards represent a legal liability to our clients. Cities, school districts, hospitals, churches, shopping malls, universities, apartment complexes, and other large buildings are all extremely concerned with this liability.
Failure to inspect and repair trip hazards leads to lawsuits. Sidewalk liability claims are a financial burden on budgets.

Across the nation, in small, medium and large cities, trip and fall litigation is significant. The City of Los Angeles pays out about $4 million a year to settle trip and fall cases. At its peak, New York City paid $60 million in trip and fall liability claims in one year. In Barden versus the City of Sacramento, the plaintiffs won
$80,000 in settlement awards, and the court ruled the City of Sacramento set aside 20% of its annual transport budget for 30 years to make public sidewalks accessible and safe.

About 20% of Americans have disabilities. Trip hazards challenge all citizens, but especially the old, young, disabled and those with canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and gaits. Today’s litigious culture and abundance of accident attorneys increases the odds of lawsuits, raising liability risk when trip hazards exist on public sidewalks and rights-of-way.

Cities can reduce sidewalk risk by reducing trip hazards. Most trip and fall accidents are preventable.
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When lifting and leveling concrete with polyurethane foam, trip hazards are completely and cleanly removed from sidewalks, virtually eliminating claims that result from trips and falls on uneven sidewalk. By having Concrete Corrections remove their trip hazards, our clients reduce their legal liability using the most efficient and cost effective method available.

  • When Lifting & Leveling concrete with polyurethane foam, there is no chance of wash out or new voids showing up.
  • We patch our 5/8" drilled holes with the color that matches the slab, there are no ugly/discolored scrape marks left across the top, like grinding may do.
  • Some of our jobs take a few hrs, not weeks.
  • Business owners won't lose customers due to "construction site" area, we can do work in evening and be done by the time you open the doors!

The only alternative available to achieve ADA compliance is removal and replacement, which is Costly, Disruptive, and Time Consuming.


8 Comments

It's officially summer!

6/27/2013

3 Comments

 
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Summer has begun, the kids are out of school, and it's time for vacation.  We love spending long summer days with our family & friends at the pool.  Anyone ever leave with a stubbed toe?  There's no pain quite like it.  How about skinned knees or chin?  Let's put an end to the poolside trip hazards once and for all!

In a matter of hrs, we can fix that sunken area of concrete. We won't mess up your beautiful landscaping job. And your guests at that next pool party won't be interrupted with a "construction" eyesore.


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3 Comments
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Who We Are

We are a family owned and operated company based in Georgetown, South Carolina and dedicated to providing a cost effective repair to compromised or settled concrete slabs and soil areas around the home or business, with access to a vast array of knowledge and polyurethane products. Servicing South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. We promise to produce long lasting results that we are all proud of.

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  • Home
  • Services
    • Concrete Lifting and Leveling Services
    • Warehouse Floor Repair Services
    • Soil Solidification
    • Void Fill and Stabilization
    • Seawall and Bulkhead Repair
    • Pressure Washing
  • Service Areas
    • Myrtle Beach, SC
    • Murrells Inlet, SC
    • Pawleys Island, SC
    • Florence, SC
    • Georgetown, SC
    • Mount Pleasant, SC
    • Charleston, SC
    • Hilton Head, SC
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