Concrete is known to be a solid and durable material. However, after a while, concrete begins to deteriorate due to several factors, including:

• Soil dry-out
• Eroding layers
• Slab expansion
• Lack of sealant of the surface
• Chemical staining

Soil Dry-out

Soil dry-out is a common factor of concrete settling. The soil begins to dry out and shrinks below the slab. Especially during a drought season and the weather becomes warm with low precipitation, the soil underneath the surface can start to dry out and shrink, creating a gap also known as a "void" that can be present within the home's interior or exterior.

Washout

When it begins to rain after a long period of drought, the rain can start to enter under the slab. The drought created a more accessible pathway for water to enter the slab through the cracks and crevices left behind. The soil underneath the slab begins to saturate and soften, or it can thoroughly wash out. This can cause severe problems for homeowners when it comes to supporting that concrete slab. These washouts can cause a substantial tripping hazard for any homeowner. The slab has not been designed to span over a large void. This causes breaks within the concrete, causing tripping hazards.

Slab expansion

Concrete is constantly expanding and contracting. This can all depend on the temperature as well as the moisture in your area.When experiencing warmer weather conditions, the concrete can expand, and when it cools, it shrinks.

When experiencing cooler weather conditions, joints can tend to widen and collect unwanted material.After these weather conditions, the concrete slab can continue to grow in size. This tends to happen a lot, and it is called a "street creep."This "street creep," as it is known, exerts tremendous pressure on your home and can cause all sorts of problems that lead to concrete failure.

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Vesta Foundation Solutions is an award-winning Oklahoma City foundation repair contractor and crawl space waterproofing specialist founded in 2017. We repair over 40 homes a week ranging from concrete repair to dirt crawl space solutions. We service all of Oklahoma such as: Tulsa, Yukon, El Reno Edmond.

When it comes to the long-lasting stability of your home, it is crucial to have an experienced professional to call. Vesta is a company that understands the best practices that will help restore and protect your home's structural integrity. We provide free, no-obligation estimates in crawl space repair, foundation repair, concrete lift and leveling, and basement waterproofing.