Winter Vs. Concrete: Why Leveling is Important Come Springtime

The emergence of spring brings with it lots of mostly pleasant surprises--vibrant tulips, budding trees, and the first opportunities to enjoy a warm walk around the neighborhood. But, as you begin that stroll, you may find yourself with another spring surprise--shifted concrete. Whether winter has affected your driveway, sidewalk, concrete steps, or something else, its freezing and thawing process can leave your concrete out of place or unlevel. But, before we talk about how to solve this homeowner's burden, let's discuss what happened to create the problem in the first place.

Concrete's durability is directly proportional to the stability of the soil beneath it. Once spring begins to warm things up, the soil underneath concrete can become unevenly compacted or can even be washed away completely by these cold weather processes. Other reasons for soil erosion include drought, rain, or simply by having been poorly compacted when the fill soil was originally deposited. And, when soil becomes unstable, whether it happens slowly or seemingly overnight, your concrete will respond accordingly, and the damage will worsen if the problem is not promptly addressed.

When you have unlevel concrete, you could face a host of consequences like tripping hazards that put you at risk of  a personal injury lawsuit, fines from the local government for not meeting city or neighborhood codes, and changes in drainage patterns and pathways. This last of the consequences can be one of the most serious, as these changes can reroute water to places it shouldn't be, creating a newly-deposited pool of standing water in the backyard or, worse,  your home's foundation. Of course, water seeping into your foundation will eventually result in a damp or even flooded basement.

But don't despair! In most instances, concrete lifting will repair the issue at a fraction of the cost of slab removal and replacement. We specialize in using this method to level everything from walkways, driveways, and sidewalks to porches, patios, steps, and more.

The process we use at Level Best LLC lifts and perfectly levels concrete by filling the soil-voided areas with a lightweight, high-density polyurethane foam through small ports in the concrete. This foam expands to fill every nook and cranny in and underneath the concrete. Why else is polyurethane the perfect material with which to work?

·       Smaller ports drilled in concrete

·       Concrete can be walked on within half an hour

·       Safe for surrounding areas, such as lawns or gardens

If winter has done a number on your concrete, don't wait for the problem to get worse! Fill out a request for us to contact you, and we'll do so within two business days! Alternatively, call our office at (330) 281-4592 or email us at levelbestohio@gmail.com. Our process of working with high-quality polyurethane foam will lift, level, and strengthen the tensile strength of the slab above, reducing the possibility of emerging problems this spring and far into the foreseeable future. Reach out today to schedule a no-obligation estimate appointment, and leave your concrete repair needs to the industry professionals at Level Best LLC!