A Sapulpa, OK customer we recently visited asked us to provide an inspection on the reasons why they were experiencing settlement along their driveway and their garage wall. After a detailed inspection, the Vesta Foundation Repair team found that water was infiltrating under the concrete causing washout of the home's concrete surfaces and footings. This is common because many builders will install sand before pouring the concrete flatwork around your home. Shortly after construction of the home, the finished landscaping put in place and the home is ready for anything the 'green thumbs' of our world can come up with. Many landscaping companies have now included leaf blowing and edging into their turnkey services. Edging is when the landscaper will trim the grass clearly away from the immediate landscaping bed or concrete surface.
Once this is complete you are left with a clearly defined yard edge that looks well sculpted and groomed. The only problem with this you create a channel for rain runoff to seep under your slab surfaces and increase the likeliness of settlement. This is because the sand aggregate under the slab is now being removed to slow and persistent erosion. When you outline your sidewalks and driveways with a natural gutter, the chances of concrete settlement increase dramatically.
A simple way to prevent this from occurring while maintaining the fresh look of your lawn is to backfill additional sand between the concrete surface and the grass. This creates a filter and discourages water from washing out under your concrete. Another simple method is to use POLY level foam injection along the edges of your concrete to help dam up the edges of your sidewalks and driveways. This way your concrete is protected right from the beginning and you will never need concrete leveling performed on your home.
For more information on how to fix, protect, and preserve your home; feel free to contact the foundation repair professionals at Vesta Foundation Solutions for a free no obligation inspection. They will provide a thorough foundation evaluation and site survey of your home for any concrete settling or Foundation Repair needs.
