Cracked and uneven concrete around your house isn’t just an aesthetically displeasing nuisance—it also poses a serious safety hazard. A sunken area in a sidewalk, front walkway, or driveway is a trip hazard for anyone who spends time at your house, so prioritize getting these problems fixed.
Dallas Concrete Leveling Services
Signs of sunken concrete
Sunken, cracked, and unlevel concrete isn’t hard to identify, but try to be proactive in looking for these areas around your house. Take a walk around your property after a storm or heavy rain, and check for evidence of soil erosion around the driveway, front walkway, patio and any other concrete structures, such as steps or a porch.
Drought conditions are frequent in the Dallas area, especially during Texas' hot and humid summers; be sure to repeat your erosion check during these times since dry soil is also subject to severe erosion. Unsupported concrete doesn’t improve on its own, and the earlier any problematic areas are caught, the easier (and cheaper) they are to fix.
Causes of sunken concrete
The primary cause of cracking and sinking concrete is loss of supporting soil. Erosion and soil washout occur most often as a result of loose or improperly prepared dirt beneath a concrete slab.
Heavy rains can cause water to run through your yard and around the concrete near your home; if this drainage isn’t routed correctly, it can take large amounts of soil with it. On the other extreme, long periods of dry weather can cause certain soil types to shrink as they dry, creating voids underneath concrete slabs.
Concrete slabs are strong, but they must be supported by a solid soil base to withstand years of use and inclement weather.
Repairing sunken concrete
Mudjacking and concrete leveling companies in Dallas typically raise concrete slabs using either a synthetic or mortar-based material. Your contractor will drill holes in the concrete and use a hose inserted in these holes to fill the empty space beneath the slab with the leveling material.
As the void is filled, the sunken area will be lifted to the level of the surrounding concrete. The contractor will patch the injection holes once this process is complete, and the repaired slab will cure to its final hardness over the course of a few days.
