A well-maintained concrete sidewalk welcomes visitors and provides a safe means of access and egress. When sidewalks begin to deteriorate, they may no longer be safe to walk on. A damaged sidewalk is an open invitation to a slip-and-fall accident that could lead to serious injury and a homeowner being sued. We certainly don’t want that to happen, which is one of the many reasons we offer sidewalk raising and other concrete repair services throughout the Salt Lake City area. At the Concrete Raising Company, sidewalk leveling is one of our many specialties.
Why Sidewalk Deterioration Occurs
There are two types of deterioration we normally see with concrete sidewalks. The first type is the result of interference from tree roots while the other is the result of soil erosion. A sidewalk raising procedure is ideal for the latter type of repair. It doesn’t do much for damage caused by tree roots.
Tree roots cause damage because they put upward pressure on sidewalk blocks. Concrete is a porous material, so tree roots can sometimes grow right through the center of a block. Such a scenario would require a complete replacement of that section.
As for soil erosion, it can cause entire sections of the concrete sidewalk to sink and crack. Soil erosion is generally the result of:
- poor drainage
- poor grading
- poor soil compaction
- improper concrete installation.
Water has to go somewhere when it rains. If your property suffers from poor drainage or poor grading, water might be eroding the soil underneath your sidewalk. Every time it rains, more soil is washed away. You are seeing the sidewalk sink because there isn’t enough soil remaining to support its weight.
Freezing and Thawing
Poor drainage and grading can lead to water collection in the soil. During the winter months, this can cause significant problems. Freezing water leads to soil expansion. When the soil thaws, it retracts. Thus, a full winter of freezing and thawing creates repeated cycles of expansion and contraction. The end result is often sinking concrete.
Repeated freeze-thaw cycles create extra problems where soil is primarily made up of clay. Unlike other types of soil, clay tends to soak up water like a sponge. It also expands considerably as it does so. An equal amount of contraction occurs as clay dries out. So it’s not unusual for clay to sink quite a bit as a result of water-related expansion and contraction.
When to Repair Your Sidewalk
A sidewalk should be repaired the minute it starts showing signs of deterioration. Even a minor crack can be dangerous to someone who is not steady on his or her feet. Likewise, entire sections of sidewalk buckling due to tree roots or sinking is a hazard for anyone who walks on it.
Note that there are some subtle signs you can look for, signs that will tip you off to a sinking sidewalk before the damage is visibly noticeable:
- Water Puddling – Sidewalks should be installed in such a way as to promote water runoff. If you notice puddling whenever it rains, there is a good possibility that your sidewalk is sinking in that location.
- Collecting Dirt – Believe it or not, dirt and debris can collect on a sinking sidewalk similar to how water puddles. That one spot that seems to constantly collect dirt could be sinking.
- Cracks in the Concrete – A sinking sidewalk is not a level sidewalk. And because concrete is so brittle, it easily cracks as one area sinks lower than the rest. Simply put, cracks in the concrete may indicate you have a problem.
Please note that minor cracks do not necessarily guarantee you are looking at a repair involving sidewalk raising. You might be able to get away with filling in the cracks with a repair product from the DIY store. But you will not know until you investigate further.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Sidewalk Damage
The sidewalk in front of your home is no different than anything else on your property. Routine upkeep is necessary to maintain it. If you ignore sidewalk damage – even if it is minor – you run the risk of that damage getting much worse over time. And yes, the risk is high.
Cracked and sinking concrete is almost always being affected by water. It is never going to stop raining and snowing, so water damage will not stop until you address the problem. Sidewalk leveling is a fast and cost-effective way to address damage before it gets out of control.
We urge you to immediately address sidewalk problems related to tree roots. If roots are upending your sidewalk, they could eventually threaten the foundation of the home itself. That is not an issue you want to deal with.
For all other sidewalk problems, the issue is safety. You do not want people walking on a sidewalk that is cracked and sinking.
Sidewalk Repair and Leveling in Salt Lake City
Our solution to sinking sidewalks in Salt Lake City is a process known as mudjacking. The process is sometimes called sidewalk leveling and sidewalk raising. No matter what you call it, it has proved effective over many decades of use.
To affect a sidewalk leveling repair, we drill holes in the concrete through which we inject a filler material. That material fills in soil voids and creates pressure that lifts up on the concrete. We continually monitor until the sidewalk has returned to a level position, at which time we stop pumping. The material then cures as hard as concrete.
Do not ignore a sinking or cracking sidewalk on your property. Contact us right away and get the problem taken care of before it becomes a more expensive proposition.