Is Your Concrete Winter-Ready? Signs of Damage to Watch For
December can bring freezing temperatures, snow, ice and moisture. The winter time can bring forth concrete issues that were hidden during those warmer months. The seemingly small concrete issues can bring about larger, more costly concrete repairs in the spring. This is why scheduling an inspection now and scheduling repairs can save homeowners even more money and time.
Why Winter Is Hard on Concrete
The freeze-thaw cycles throughout the winter time is the biggest culprit for concrete damage. When concrete slabs and concrete joints are exposed, the snow melt is able to enter through the concrete’s pours and through the concrete joints and the concrete cracks. Once the temperature drops, the water below the concrete slab freezes and the water within the concrete’s pours expand once frozen. This expansion creates voids beneath the concrete slab and the top layer of the concrete can begin to spall and cause the top layer to pop off. From the voids, the concrete will eventually drop and create an uneven surface and cracking.
Signs Your Concrete May Not Be Winter-Ready
Common warning signs of winter concrete damage include:
-
pre-existing cracks are getting wider or longer
-
concrete slabs are settling or becoming uneven
-
water is pooling in areas that it did not previously pool
-
concrete’s surface has began to spall or flake
-
uneven driveways, uneven walkways or uneven steps are hidden by the snow
These issues often indicate underlying voids beneath the concrete.
What Homeowners Can Do Now
Homeowners should schedule a concrete inspection to have all areas of the concrete inspected as there could be voids beneath the concrete that have not yet been apparent or areas of already uneven concrete. Once a free concrete inspection is scheduled, book the repairs whether it is proactive or fixing current concrete issues. Scheduling concrete repairs now can help prevent further damage and costly repairs once warmer weather arrives.