Have you ever pulled up to your house, into the garage and suddenly notice that the driveway right in front of your garage is slightly down and uneven? You may even feel the drastic bump as you’re driving over the concrete approach from the driveway to the garage. This can be frustrating, and it is potentially dangerous for any homeowners. But what do you do next to address the situation?
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the reasons for the driveway drops and what you can do about it to fix and prevent it.
Why Did the Driveway Drop Right in Front of Your Garage?
There are so many reasons behind your driveway sinking right in front of your garage. Below we discussed a few most common causes. They include:
Poor Drainage
Poor drainage at your home, specifically poor drainage beside your garage, is one of the most common reasons behind driveway sinking. When the drainage system is not functioning well, rain and water from other sources accumulate under the driveway. This can lead to soil erosion and eventually sinking the driveway.
To solve this issue, you should check your drainage system and address the leaks and cracks to seal them properly. Need an expert to take a look? Residents in the Kansas City area reach out to PolyMagic for their drainage concerns.
Heavy Vehicles
Over time, weight plays an important role in your driveway sinking. When you drive a heavy vehicle, such as a large truck or RV, and pass them over the driveway frequently, the driveway starts to sink and crack. It happens especially when the vehicle’s weight is higher than the driveway’s capacity.
Tree Roots
Tree roots are also responsible for your driveway cracking and sinking. When any big large trees are planted too close to the garage or driveway, their roots can spread and grow beneath the concrete. Those roots eventually grow bigger and bigger, pressuring the concrete to crack.
That’s why it’s better not to build your garage too close to the trees or landscaping shrubs. Their roots are powerful and can damage the surrounding property in the future.
Poor Construction
One of the 8 Reasons Behind Driveway Dropping in Front of Your Garage is due to poor driveway construction. If the concrete company didn’t use solid concrete, sufficient base preparations, or didn’t follow the correct reinforcement to build the area, then it’ll likely crack and sink over time. It’s important to choose the professionals to do the job so that you can rest assured your construction was built properly.
Soil Erosion
Most of the time, the soil beneath the driveway starts to wear down. This starts to create significant voids beneath the area, leading the driveway to sink and crack over time. The reason behind the soil erosion is the poor drainage system or improper grading.
When the soil erodes, the water starts to flow beneath the concrete, slowly washing away the soil. And when the soil support starts to fade away, the concrete weighs down on the unsupported area and eventually sinks. Soil erosion can also happen because of significant weather conditions, such as a drought.
Poor Soil Compaction
During your building’s initial construction process, if the soil beneath is not prepared and compacted correctly, the soil will shift and settle over time, creating a void and causing the driveway to sink. It happens more on the driveways that were newly constructed.
That’s why it’s important to prepare and compact the soil before you start the construction on it or laying down concrete. This prevents the future possibility of any construction problems, such as driveway sinking in the long run.
Aging Infrastructure
We all know everything starts to show signs of wear and tear as it ages, and the driveway is no exception. The concrete beneath starts to deteriorate over time due to multiple things exposures, such as temperature, rain, snow, etc. The aging of infrastructures can cause driveway cracks, sink, and even potholes, which makes it hard for pedestrians and vehicles to go over it.
Poor Maintenance
Without proper maintenance of the concrete area, homeowners can expect to see big or small cracks, potholes, or drainage issues. That’s why it’s important to regularly keep an eye on the sight and address any cracks and unevenness quickly. That’s how you’ll get to fix them in the earlier stages and save the costly repairs in the future.
How to Prevent the Driveway Sinking
Fix Drainage Problems
Bad drainage issues are a top reason for your driveway surface deterioration and soil getting washed away, leading to driveway sinking. That’s why it’s essential to have a proper drainage system on your property so that no water can sweep in and cause harm to your driveway and other property.
Avoid Using Heavy Vehicles
Every driveway and construction have weight-bearing limitations. While they’re building, the constructor designs their structures to accommodate a certain amount of weight. When someone uses a vehicle that weighs way more than the driveway is designed to bear and runs it on the surface daily, then the driveway starts to sink or get cracks here & there.
That’s why you should avoid using heavy vehicles in your driveway, such as trucks, cranes, etc.
Fill in Any Gaps
The gaps in your driveway can cause soil erosion underneath by water seeping in from time to time. To prevent this, you need to fill any gaps you see on the surface with the necessary sealants or materials. It’ll stop the water from entering the area through those gaps.
Tree Maintenance
Tree roots can grow and spread over time, leading to pressure on the concrete under the driveway. These exerted pressures can cause cracks and gaps in the driveway. That’s why it’s important to not build your driveway too close to trees or trim them from time to time to stop them from growing way too close to your driveway.
Have you started to experience any of the 8 Reasons Behind Driveway Dropping in Front of Your Garage? It isn’t an expensive repair if you address the situation quickly. Don’t wait until the issues worsen, reach out today to schedule a free estimate!