How Soil Washout Can Affect Your Concrete Stability
Soil washout is a very common reason for concrete settlement. Soil washout is essentially erosion of the soil underneath the slab. As it erodes, it loses its ability to support the heavy weight of the concrete. What causes soil to erode? Changing weather conditions cause the soils to expand and contract, which causes it to erode and create voids in the soil.
Soil expands when it rains and becomes bigger. After it expands during rain, it then contracts when the weather is dry. The expansion and contraction causes voids in the soil. The next time it rains, the water will run through the voids and cause it to washout and erode away.
When this happens, the soil washout then causes the concrete slab to sink because it can no longer support its weight. Soil washout can be more detrimental in certain areas than others. If it’s worse underneath one concrete slab, it will cause that slab to sink below the other slab and create a dangerous tripping hazard.
Soil washout is very common and causes problems for many homeowners. Uneven concrete can decrease your home’s value and be dangerous to you and your family by causing tripping hazards. This can happen on your sidewalk, driveway, or patio.
MidAmerica Basement Systems has helped families fix their sunken concrete for over 30 years. If you notice any signs of sunken concrete around your home, it’s best to contact experts right away to get it fixed before it becomes worse. We can level your sunken concrete to create a safe, even surface and restore your home’s value. Contact us today for your free quote!
