In the summer, the heat can impact the interior and exterior elements of your home. From fading of the home’s exterior paint to the overworking effort of your HVAC system, the heat can really magnify issues around your home. Another issue that becomes more evident around your home is the concrete. From sunken slab foundations to concrete driveways, the sun directly affects the soil beneath and the concrete lying on top of it.
In this article, we’re going to show some common causes of concrete sinking in hot, dry weather. If you’re a homeowner, keep on reading to learn how you can prevent these issues from happening.
What is Concrete Sinking?
As the soil underneath the concrete slabs moves or settles, or gets washed away for different reasons, it creates more voids inside the area, leading to uneven surfaces and cracks. Many factors are responsible for soil to shrink and wash away. It can be because of temperature, poor drainage system, soil shrinkage, etc.
Concrete sinking is a serious issue and needs to be addressed sooner than later. If you can see your concrete slab sinking and do nothing about it, the uneven or sinking will get bigger and worsen daily.
How Dry Weather Causes Concrete to Sink
Out of many reasons that cause concrete sinking occurrences, dry weather is the most common. Let’s see below how they cause concrete to sink:
Soil Shrinkage
Another reason on Understanding the Impact of Dry Weather on Sinking Concrete is soil shrinkage. Dry weather can cause concrete to sink because of soil shrinkage. During the summer, the soil becomes dry underneath the concrete slab due to the hot weather and lack of rain and moisture. And the drier it gets, the more the soil surrounding shrinks.
And when the soil shrinkage reaches a certain level, it creates a lot of voids and spaces in the inside area, and the foundation starts to lose the soil support it used to have. And this situation leads to concrete slab sinking, having cracks, and losing evenness over time.
Soil Erosion
The soil beneath the foundation dries out when it’s not raining for a long time. And once it rains again, while the ground behind the concrete is in a dried-off situation, the sudden rainwater starts to rush through the voids and spaces inside, causing the dry and loose soil to wash away.
This soil deterioration creates another group of voids and spaces under the concrete, leading to another settlement of the foundation.
Evaporation
Another reason why dry weather causes concrete to settle is evaporation. Due to the high temperature and low humidity, the moisture in the soil underneath the concrete starts to evaporate.
This evaporation creates void spaces underneath, hampering the support system of the concrete foundation and leading to cracks and uneven surfaces.
Poor Soil
Poor soil quality can be a reason for concrete sinking in dry weather too. When the soil is too soft or unstable, it may become more vulnerable to deterioration due to a lack of moisture in the dry seasons. And this can lead the overall concrete slab weight to get less support from the soil base, causing it to sink.
That’s why it’s important to check the soil quality before building any construction on top of it.
Repairing Sunken Concrete
If your concrete slab has been sinking because of the weather, you can follow a few options to help the situation and avoid future costly repairs. They are:
Slab Jacking
If your concrete slab has been sinking due to soil shrinkage, slab jacking can be a great way to lift the sunken concrete or slab. In slab jacking, the contractors pump a grout mixture underneath the slab. This mixture fills up the voids, pushes up the slab from below, and levels it.
Polyurethane Foam Injection
Another solution to repairing sunken concrete for Understanding the Impact of Dry Weather on Sinking Concrete, is through polyurethane foam. Polyurethane foam injection is another technique to help sunken concrete slab to level it. As the name suggests, this method injects polyurethane foam underneath the hollow slab. The foam fills the voids beneath the concrete and creates pressure that helps lift the slab back to its original level.
Replacing Sunken Slab
When the slab sinks so badly that it may be hard and not worth applying techniques to repair, it’s better to replace the hollow slab completely. Some professionals can help you decide if it would be better to replace it and do the necessary work.
How Can I Prevent My Concrete From Sinking in Dry Weather?
It’s always better to take precautions before the concrete sinking happens and creates a hassle for you. There are some ways you can prevent concrete drop; they are:
Watering the Slab
When it’s summer, or it has not been raining for a while, you should take the time to water your concrete slab at least once a week. This will help to maintain the moisture and humidity level underneath the concrete, saving the concrete slab from cracks and sinking.
RELATED: Foundation Watering and Landscaping
Professional Contruction and Maintenance
Another way to prevent concrete sinking is to ensure that professionals do the slab and overall home construction and maintenance. Let them assess the soil type, the drainage systems and other things that will save the slab concrete from sinking and cracking in the long run.
Choose the Right Type of Concrete
The concrete quality also affects the good and bad position of the concrete slab. If you choose the proper concrete for your slab foundation, it’ll easily withstand the pressures and provide support to the slab. In addition, good concrete will be more likely to be adjusted with the soil underneath, even in dry weather.