Concrete Repair in Cordova IL: Why Cracked Concrete Only Gets Worse

Concrete repair in Cordova, Illinois is a necessity to have safe walkways, smooth driveways and a stable foundation. Even though it would be nice if, like a wound, concrete would simply heal over, cracked concrete only worsens over time. Several reasons for this are typically at work to cause more damage to your slabs and, without intervention, these factors can cause full upheavals and present risk factors for the safety of your family and guests, plus put your home in jeopardy if the cracks cause breaches in your foundation. Here are a few of the factors that you may or may not be aware of that will create more problems as time marches on…read on!

Change Of The Season

In Cordova, Illinois, winter can be harsh, causing snow buildup and freezing the ground. It is this freezing point that begins the process of doing more damage to walkways, foundations and driveways that are cracked. Extreme temperatures not only cause all materials, even concrete, to become more brittle, but also freeze groundwater that may be trapped beneath the slabs in question. This freezing process will expand the packed dirt your concrete was poured on, typically in an uneven pattern, causing stress points to form and fracturing to take place. Without concrete repair work at this point, you will have even more of a breach to deal with because of the ground’s expansion and upheaval.

To make matters worse, once spring and summer roll around, the frozen ground thaws, creating more groundwater and once again, shrinking the soil underneath your concrete. This leaves a gap that can easily create the fulcrum for the slab to break apart more, which, in turn, gives a space for rainwater to build up and cause more groundwater to be present. The cycle then continues, with more groundwater to freeze, larger gaps being formed with the thaws and worsening conditions for your walkways.

Erosion

Soil erosion and natural processes can whittle away at the ground beneath your walkways, foundations, and driveways as well. Heavy rains or even overwatering lawns can cause an excess of water to build up beneath the surface of a damaged slab, creating conditions that allow soil to be carried away by moving water. Much like what happens with the seasonal cycles, soil erosion can cause a large gap to form beneath your concrete, allowing more damage to be incurred. If concrete repair services are not put in place, soil erosion can cause some of your slabs to become shifted or unlevel while simultaneously worsening visible fissures in the slabs. A concrete repair specialist can help reverse the damages and stop these harmful cycles from creating more expense down the road.

For more information about concrete repair in Cordova IL and why cracked concrete only worsens over time, call 309-373-2919 or click on the provided link.