Category Archives: Concrete Surface Repair

Residential and Commercial Concrete Sealing

Although concrete is one of the toughest materials around your home or business, it still needs care and maintenance. Sealing your concrete surface is a vital part of protecting your driveway, patio, or sidewalk. Winters in Kansas City, Minnesota, and the rest of the Midwest can cause your concrete surfaces to quickly deteriorate. Replacing concrete is a tedious and expensive process. Depending on the amount of concrete, replacing the slab can cost more than $10,000! Sealing your concrete is a more affordable and easier solution than tearing out and replacing your patio or driveway.

Concrete Surfaces Need Attention

The concrete surfaces around your commercial or residential property play an important role in allowing people to walk, drive, or relax around your home or business. A damaged concrete slab is not only ugly, but it can also be a tripping hazard, in addition to damaging vehicles or equipment. It’s easy to forget about your concrete surfaces, they do their job well with little maintenance. We usually only notice them when there is a problem. Concrete sealing can help keep your surfaces looking nice and prevent damage that can cause problems. 

The Basics of Concrete Care

As we said above, harsh winters can give your concrete a beating. Combine the weather with de-icing materials and you have a recipe for a damaged slab. This combination of weather and chemicals can cause a variety of concrete problems, such as concrete spalling and scaling. De-icing material like salt and some chemicals can damage the concrete, allowing water to penetrate below the slab’s surface. If the concrete is unsealed, the water will fill the holes, cracks, and pores of the slab. When the water freezes, it expands, putting tremendous pressure on the concrete, weakening the slab. 

A concrete sealant from a reputable contractor will prevent water from entering the surface of the concrete. The sealant provides a barrier from water, snow, and ice, along with salt and other de-icers.

Concrete Sealing Can Save You Money

No one likes to spend money on repairs and maintenance, but spending a little now can prevent you from spending a LOT later. The cost to replace concrete runs around $7-$10 per square foot. The average residential two-car driveway is 16 feet by 38 feet, or 610 square feet. We’ll do the math for you: $4270 to $6100. Of course, prices vary for many reasons, but this gives you a rough estimate. The average cost to seal a driveway in the United States is $0.17 to $0.25 per square foot. For the same size driveway, your cost would be around $103 to $152.

It’s easy to see how much sense it makes to do a little maintenance on your concrete before it comes to the point where it needs to be replaced.

The advantages of concrete sealing go beyond monetary savings. The sealant will protect the concrete from water, chemicals, and other liquid penetration while strengthening the surface. A protective seal will help prevent scaling, spalling, and leaks. 

Protect Your Concrete

If you live in an area that has harsh weather, you must protect your concrete from the elements. Although concrete is hard, it is made up of a porous material that will soak up the water just like a sponge. Water that penetrates the surface will cause damage when it freezes and expands. De-icing materials causes the water to expand even more, causing more damage to the concrete. 

Protect your concrete with sealing and other services from a trusted contractor like Pro Foundation Technology, Inc. 

 

Ready to Ride the Polar Coaster?

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the 2019/2020 winter will be a wild ride that they’ve named the Polar Coaster. The Almanac writers describe it this way: “[The] winter will be filled with so many ups and downs on the thermometer, it may remind you of a ‘Polar Coaster’.” 

The weather forecasters at Farmer’s Almanac predicted that the worst of the bitterly cold weather will impact areas east of the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachian Mountains. (That area, of course, covers most of the service area of Polyjacking.com.) Additionally, the coldest areas are to be across the Northern Plains into the Great Lakes Region. Along with the dangerously cold temperatures, this area is expected to see more precipitation and snow than it usually does. 

Winter Weather and Your Concrete

If this prediction holds true, it could wreak havoc on a large portion of the country. The fluctuation in temperatures, along with the freezing cold and high snow amounts puts a lot of stress on concrete surfaces. It’s bad enough to have to deal with winter weather, but it can really damage any concrete surfaces around your home or business.

De-icing products like salt can damage the concrete, along with the abuse that snowthrowers, plows, and shovels can provide. Temperature swings cause freeze and thaw cycles that can cause the concrete to heave or crack. We can’t control the weather, but we can do some things to help prevent damage to the concrete and repair and restore the slabs when winter ends.

Although concrete is strong, it’s not unbreakable. A common phrase in the concrete repair business is “there are two types of concrete: cracked concrete and concrete that will crack.” If you know that cracked concrete is a normal occurrence, you can set aside some of the stress that comes with damaged concrete.

Shovels and Snowthrowers

Very few people enjoy shoveling or removing snow from sidewalks and driveways. Your concrete slab doesn’t like it either. Metal snow shovels can cause damage, especially if they are bent or dented. It is better to use one with a plastic blade. It may be more difficult to remove the snow, but it will help your concrete last longer. 

Snowthrowers, or snowblowers, are another piece of equipment that can damage your cement. Many of these machines have bolts and other metal pieces that drag across the concrete. We’re not telling you to break your back and ditch the snowthrower, but make sure your equipment is well-maintained, check for parts that could be damaging your slab, and try not to use it unless it is necessary.

De-icing and Ice Melters

Most people know that rock salt can damage concrete surfaces, so they buy alternatives that say they are “concrete safe”. If the process of melting the ice involves a chemical reaction, it is NOT concrete safe. If you look at the fine print on the back it will explain that it is not safe for concrete that is less than two years old. We understand that you need something to make surfaces safe from slippery ice, but we recommend something like clay kitty litter or clean sand. Once the ice melts, the litter or sand can be swept away and will safely join the surrounding soil.

Don’t Remove Snow Unless Necessary

As we said above, we understand that you have to keep some areas clear and safe, but not all concrete surfaces must be cleaned from snowfall. Areas like patios, pool decks, and other unused services are just fine with a layer of snow on them. The blanket of snow and ice can protect the slab from temperature fluctuations that can cause cracks and heaving. By letting the snow and ice melt away naturally, you will prevent the slab from going through multiple freeze-thaw cycles, which can be devastating to the concrete.

Buckle Up for the Polar Coaster

If the predictions come true for the upcoming winter, you will have other things to worry about. Don’t let your concrete be another thing that causes anxiety. Take care of yourself and your family this winter, making sure everyone is safe and comfortable. Your concrete will still be here when the warm Spring sun thaws everything out. Next April you can take a look at your concrete and, if there is damage, Polyjacking.com is here to help restore it.

KU Edwards Campus Repair

The professionals at Polyjacking.com were recently called in to help with some floor leveling repairs that were needed on the campus of KU Edwards in Overland Park, KS. The campus was opened in 1993 and offers programs for undergraduates, graduates, and certificates along with professional and continuing education courses.

Floor Leveling and Void Filling on KU Edwards Campus

We were called in to take a look at an unlevel floor in one of the on-campus buildings. Upon inspection, we discovered that the floor needed to be raised by an inch due to voids that had formed under the building that had caused the floor to sink. The voids were around five feet below the surface and caused by a broken water line. Our experts leveled the floor and filled the voids, providing a stable foundation for the building and a safe environment for students and faculty members. 

Please view the gallery below with some pictures from the work site. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us at Polyjacking.com.

Polyjacking > Mudjacking

Concrete surfaces such as basement floors, driveways, patios, and more are all impacted by soil movement and weather that can cause damage and weakness. The slabs can also sink if the surrounding soil no longer supports it. These problems won’t repair themselves, the longer you wait to fix the problem, the bigger the issue and damage will be.

If your foundation sinks, it can cause damage throughout your business or home. Walls and floors can crack or lean, floors can slope or warp, and doors and windows may not stay open or closed. The worst-case scenario is that the foundation collapses and brings your structure down with it. If the soil that supports the foundation or concrete becomes oversaturated, too dry, or isn’t compressed correctly, it will no longer give the slab the stability that it needs.

Luckily, there are solutions to keep your concrete and foundation stable and level.

Polyjacking and Mudjacking Solutions

Sinking concrete usually occurs because a void has formed under the slab. Unless the void is filled and the soil stabilized, the concrete will continue to sink. If left unaddressed, the repair may have to be done with underpinning, greatly raising the time, money, and effort needed to fix the problem.

When it comes to the task of filling in voids, mudjacking and polyjacking both are up for the job. Mudjacking uses a mud slurry to fill the void and lift the concrete, whereas polyjacking utilizes a polyurethane foam to fill the void. In both methods, holes are drilled into the concrete above the void and then the slurry or foam is injected, filling the cavities below the concrete. The slab will be lifted to a level plane and the drilled holes will be filled. Mudjacking uses bigger holes than polyjacking (3-4″ compared to 3/4 to 1″).

Both forms of concrete lifting can be used for a variety of concrete surfaces including foundations, sidewalks, warehouse floors, tennis courts, and swimming pools.

Pros and Cons of Both Concrete Lifting Solutions

Though both methods are similar at face value, there are some pretty big differences between mudjacking and polyjacking.

Mudjacking Pros

• Comparatively inexpensive
• Time-tested
• Naturally occurring materials

Mudjacking Cons

• Doesn’t fill the void completely
• Short-term results that have to be repeated every couple of years
• Slurry material is 30-50x heavier than polyurethane
• Slurry material is prone to erosion
• Large holes must be made in the concrete
• The slurry can take days to set and harden

Polyjacking Pros

• Long-lasting results
• Lightweight materials
• Polyurethane foam density fills the voids
• Soil mixes with the foam to bond securely and gains strength
• Small injection hole
• Doesn’t wash away
• Able to adjust leveling to within 1/100″
• Polyurethane foam sets within 15 minutes

Polyjacking Cons

• Costs more than mudjacking
• Not as well known

Polyjacking.com Swears by Polyurethane Injections

We want to offer the best repair methods to our clients. We have been using polyjacking for so long that we coined the name! In the past, only commercial properties and municipal projects used polyjacking, but we have learned over the years that it is a great solution for residential repairs, too.  We’re dedicated to providing the residential and commercial owners an affordable and lasting repair for sinking and damaged concrete slabs and foundations.

We know that you don’t have the time to have your place torn up with heavy equipment and then having to wait for the slab to be ready to be used. Polyjacking uses only one truck for the foam and the slab is ready to use within 15 minutes of completing the injection. We won’t tear up your landscaping or disrupt your business while getting your slab repaired. You can rest easy knowing that your concrete will be stable when it comes to sinking, heaving, or cracking.

Contact the concrete lifting experts at Polyjacking.com to learn more about how our polyurethane foam can lift your concrete and provide you with a stable and strong surface, protecting your property, equipment, and people.

 

Small Concrete Repairs

Not every concrete repair involves a call to your favorite contractor. Some concrete slab repairs can be done by yourself in an afternoon.

Identify the Damage

The most important part of taking care of concrete damage is determining what the problem is. There are three common types of concrete damage that you can probably take care of yourself.

Plastic-Shrinkage Cracks: These cracks can be found evenly distributed across the slab and usually run mid-depth into the concrete. They are short in comparison with other types of cracks. These cracks usually develop during the curing stage as the concrete surface dries quicker than the concrete underneath it.

Scaling: A concrete surface may be covered with small pockmarks. These blemishes can expose the aggregate underneath the surface.

Hairline Cracks: As their name implies, these cracks are very thin but don’t let that deceive you, the cracks can be very deep. These cracks can occur when the slab settles during curing. These cracks can get bigger, so you need to keep an eye on them.

When you are able to determine the type of damage your concrete has, you’ll know what you need to make the repair.

Get the Right Tools

Always follow the directions on the package for whatever product you use, but there are a few things that are pretty common when it comes to concrete repair. You’ll need a quality nylon brush to wipe area free of dust and debris. Don’t skimp on the brush, as this first step is also one of the most important ones to do correctly and thoroughly. You may also need a good hammer and chisel to remove any damaged or loose concrete around the area in question.

We recommend pressure washing the area before applying any products to the concrete, but you need to make sure that the concrete is completely dry. Even a little moisture can make a problem even worse than it was.

Depending on the type of product, you may need a putty knife or trowel to shape and smooth the material used to repair the concrete damage. In other instances, the product may be dispensed from a squeeze bottle or other method, so no additional tools may be required.

Choose the Right Product

There are a variety of products on the market and you really need to do your research to make sure that you have not only a quality product but the right one for your particular problem. If the cracks in your slab are between 1/4″ to 1/2″ deep, then you should use a trusted concrete crack filler. Make sure your product is able to be used either indoors or outdoors, depending on the location of the slab. The crack filler should protect the crack from water penetration, regardless of the location of the concrete. Water can be inside or outside.

If the crack is bigger than 1/2″ than you will probably want a cement patcher. This takes a little more time to set, but it is stronger and able to withstand more pressure than a filler.

Potential Problems

If the repair isn’t done correctly or thoroughly, it may lead to larger problems. It doesn’t take a large crack for water to enter the slab and cause problems. Rain, snow, water from washing a car, or other sources can enter the crack and cause erosion. The water can also expand and contract with changes in temperature, making a crack even worse than it was. If you aren’t sure that you can do the job completely, you may be better calling on a professional like Polyjacking.com to make sure that the crack is taken care, in addition to whatever is causing the crack.

 

 

Industrial Concrete Floor Repair

With all of the activity that takes place in warehouses, manufacturing plants, and other industrial buildings, it is easy to let the concrete floor to become damaged or worn out. There always seems to be something else that needs to be repaired or replaced, but if you let your commercial concrete floor problems grow, the time and money it will take to repair them will just get larger and larger.

Signs of Industrial Floor Repair Needs

There are some things that you can look for to decide if you need repairs done on the floor of your industrial facility.

Floor Cracks: Every concrete floor will develop cracks over the years and, in many cases, the cracks are harmless. There are some cracks that are structural in nature and those are the kinds that you need to pay attention to.

How can you tell if a crack in your concrete floor is cosmetic or structural? If the crack is wider than the thickness of a credit card or runs the length of the floor, there may be cause for concern. Also, if the crack is between two levels of the surface or the slab is tilted, you may have a concrete problem. There are some causes of these kinds of cracks. Either the slab has settled unevenly, or there is a void underneath the concrete. Regardless of the reason, it is important that you have a trusted professional repair contractor to inspect the concrete slab.

If the damage is caught early enough, a process like polyjacking or other slab lifting method could be used successfully. The concrete slab can be stabilized and the cracks filled, leaving you with a floor that is like new, preventing further damage from occurring.

Slab Deterioration: Because the slab is located inside a commercial facility, it is more likely to be subjected to heavy wear and tear. Forklifts and other machinery can wear off the top layer of the slab which is usually the hardest portion of the concrete. The softer part of the concrete will deteriorate quicker, causing more problems for the slab and for your employees to do their jobs.

It is important that the damage is stopped before it can become dangerous. The surface can be ground to a smooth surface and a penetrating sealer can be applied to harden the concrete. This new surface will allow your equipment to run along the surface safely.

Damaged Joints: If the joints in your slab were not filled with a flexible joint sealer, they will begin to chip and fail. The chips can begin to get big enough to jostle the forklift, the operator, and the load that they are carrying. This can cause injuries to the operator and other people around and also can damage products and equipment.

An experienced contractor should inspect the joints and determine the next course of action. This may involve rebuilding the joints and lifting the slabs to evenly match each other.

Industrial Floor Lifting

There are several methods of repairing a commercial concrete slab, but you will probably need something that won’t interfere too much with the daily operation of your facility. Some people think that you have to completely tear up the slab and start from scratch. Although this may be the best solution in some cases, many times you only need to lift the slab.

If you are looking for the most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sound method of slab repair, we strongly suggest using polyjacking. Polyurethane concrete lifting has been used extensively for over 30 years in all types of heavy-duty, real-world conditions and locations. The polyurethane foam can lift the slab to within a tenth of an inch of the desired height and will remain there. The structural integrity of the slab is maintained, through the use of smaller holes than a process like mudjacking would use.

The foam will seal the underside of the slab and fill in any voids located under the concrete. The foam is water-resistant, so it won’t wash away from erosion like the mud slurry in mudjacking.

You will be able to use the slab about 15 minutes after the foam is injected, unlike other methods that may take multiple days to set. By the time we have cleaned up and put the equipment away, you’ll be able to drive your equipment on the repaired slab.

Industrial Polyjacking in Kansas City and St. Louis

If you are looking for a reputable and reliable polyjacking contractor in Kansas or Missouri, contact the professionals at Polyjacking.com. We have experience leveling and undersealing concrete of all types: bridges, highways, runways, sidewalks, garage floors, warehouse floors, loading docks, and more.

Get in touch with us for a free quote and we’ll make sure that your industrial concrete floor is safe, stable, and secure.

 

 

St. Louis and Concrete Problems

The St. Louis area has had its share of extreme weather this winter. The extremely cold weather has caused pipes and water mains to freeze break causing water-related problems around the area. According to television station KMOV, Missouri American Water is likely to break the current record for most water main breaks in one month, with a prediction of over a thousand breaks total.

Concrete Problems in St. Louis

In addition to losing water to your St. Louis home or business, a broken water main or pipe can cause problems for your concrete. The already frozen ground will be flooded with gallons of water with nowhere to go. The pressure will lift your concrete slabs, cracking them or causing a tripping hazard. Freezing water expands, so if the water from the broken main infiltrates a crack in your concrete, it can easily cause the crack to grow.

The good thing about a St. Louis winter is that it will get warm again, so even if the water is frozen now, it will eventually thaw out. However, when that happens, the soil will be oversaturated and lose some of its stability. Your concrete surfaces may sink or crack as voids open underneath the slab months after the winter is over.

If you notice any signs of concrete damage, contact an expert like the ones at Polyjacking.com. It is urgent that you begin concrete repairs as soon as possible. The longer you put off a repair, the more it will take to correct the problem and the more money it will cost. The slab won’t heal itself and, in the long run, the concrete will eventually fail, taking your driveway or patio with it. It is important to protect your property and your family or employees. You should make sure that you have the best concrete expert in the St. Louis area.

Concrete Repair Services in St. Louis

If you have cracks in your concrete or the slab is sinking or unlevel, it is important that you get it repaired before someone gets hurt or other problems begin to occur. We recommend using high-density polyurethane foam. This foam is injected under the slab and, as it expands, it fills the voids, seals the cracks, and lifts the concrete to the desired height. Polyjacking a slab is 75% less expensive than breaking up and replacing the damaged concrete.

We know that St. Louis businesses and homeowners don’t have time to wait to use their sidewalks or driveways, that’s why polyjacking is such a smart choice. It takes 80% less time to complete the repair and the slab can be used within 15 minutes of the foam being injected. Due to this quick turnaround time, traffic and pedestrians can quickly use the slab once again, safely.

The soil in the St. Louis area is mostly expansive clay, so it is constantly moving. The polyurethane foam expands, filling the void, which minimizes the chances of the soil failing again. The foam also seals off the bottom of the slab, eliminating the water from penetrating the concrete or eroding the slab.

Polyjacking and St. Louis: A Good Fit

Polyjacking.com is dedicated to providing the best service in the St. Louis area. We are a family-owned business and we know that quality workmanship is the only way to earn a good reputation. Contact us today to learn more about how polyjacking can help protect your property in the St. Louis area.

Concrete Repair In The Winter

Ice and cracks are not a good combination. If you have cracks in your concrete, they can let water in and if that water freezes, the crack will grow bigger. As we all know, a Kansas City winter can be a nightmare!

Ice Can Be Destructive to Concrete

When water turns to ice, it can expand almost 10% more in volume than its liquid amount. This is a small number in the big scheme of things, but even a small change in a crack can cause a big problem. The pressure behind expanding ice is very strong. According to chemical engineer Geoffrey Widdison, freezing water can theoretically exert around 30,000 psi! That amount of force can easily destroy concrete foundations and slabs. The cracks can spread and grow wider, causing a wide variety of structural problems. The problems can happen when your property experiences its first freeze-thaw cycle, getting worse with every cycle.

As stated earlier, this can impact both foundations or concrete slabs. Once water enters the crack, your home or business could have water in the basement or crawl space or it could enter the foundation walls. Water can also cause concrete shrinkage and other structural damage.

Ice Can Cause Concrete Problems

As much as some of us would like to stop winter from coming, it comes just the same. The winter weather in Kansas City can damage your concrete slab, foundation walls, and any other concrete surface you may have at your home or business. The surface of the concrete can be a victim of “mortar flaking“. This occurs when the top layer of the concrete peels or flakes off.

As we stated above, any previous cracks can get bigger and longer and new cracks may form. Cracked concrete loses a lot of its strength and can lead to foundation failure or trip hazards on concrete slabs.

Yet another problem is something called “popout”. Popout occurs when the water behind or underneath a concrete surface swells, pushing against the concrete. It can cause flaking, crumbling, and cracking. This can occur at any time of the year, but it is more prevalent in the winter months.

Tips For Keeping Your Concrete Safe

The best thing you can do to protect your concrete is to keep water from freezing on it or next to it, but that’s pretty difficult. Make sure that your home or business is ready for the winter weather. Downspouts and gutters should be clear and drain well away from the foundation, at least 10 feet or more. Clear snow and ice from around the foundation; melting snow can run down the foundation walls and cause problems.

Polyjacking.com can help you keep your concrete stable and safe. With Pro Foundation Technology behind us, we can offer waterproofing, concrete lifting, and more. We’ll keep your home or business safe, dry, and comfortable.

Get your Kansas City property ready before the winter really gets nasty, so you won’t have to worry about problems with your concrete and foundation. Contact Polyjacking.com now and let us help you get ready for a visit from Old Man Winter!

Is Water Ponding on Your Drive or Patio?

Have you noticed, especially after recent heavy rains, water ponding on your patio, driveway, or other concrete slabs? While there may be no visible cracks, somehow the concrete has settled or sunk, and water simply accumulates there, unable to run off. Besides being inconvenient and unsightly, it presents a safety hazard for your family and friends who walk across the concrete surface. The question is, “What should you do about it?”

Causes of Water Ponding

If there is no obvious crack or hole in the concrete which allows water to seep onto its surface, water ponding often is caused by incorrect grading of the concrete slab from the time it was poured. It is critical that the concrete is set up with a slight slope away from the house and foundation so that the water has an opportunity to run off into the yard, drain, or drainage ditch. If not, water will simply remain pooled on top of the concrete.

Frequently, natural settlement of the soil through the passage of time will cause the concrete to sink in such a way that water is unable to run off. For that reason, builders often recommend not building concrete patios until the soil around a new construction has had adequate time to settle.

Most often, water ponding is due to changes in the soil beneath the concrete slab. After cycles of wet and dry or freezing and thawing, the soil beneath the concrete may become unstable and develop pockets or holes. Eventually, the soil will not be able to support the concrete, and the concrete will actually sink into the holes beneath it. Naturally, after a heavy rain, water will pool into the lowest sections of the concrete.

Three Choices for Solving Water Ponding

There are basically three choices regarding what to do to repair a concrete slab that has water ponding. You can grind it, replace it, or raise it. The following information explains the three options along with their advantages and disadvantages. Hopefully, it will help you determine the best option for your sinking concrete.

Grinding Concrete

Grinding involves milling off a portion of the good concrete slab so it matches the sunken slab. While it may eliminate a trip hazard, it does not solve the underlying problem and offers only a short-term solution.

The Truth about Grinding

While some companies are willing to grind off a layer of a good slab to fix a trip hazard, it doesn’t solve the underlying problem: what caused the slab to settle in the first place? Unfortunately, whatever caused the problem in the first place will simply return, usually within a year. If the company grinds the concrete a year later, the problem will simply occur the next year, and so on.

The bottom line is that grinding a good section of concrete never solves the root of the settling problem. It’s the underlying soil that caused the settling in the first place. After several years have gone by, the concrete will simply become too thin and crack, requiring the entire slab to be replaced. Besides paying for the annual grinding, the homeowner is now faced with the expensive option of replacing the concrete.

If you are extremely tight on funds, grinding could be a solution for you. Keep in mind that it is a short-term fix that eventually will require replacement of 2 or more concrete slabs.

Replacing Concrete

Replacement involves tearing out the old concrete and building a new concrete slab in the same spot. It is very costly and disruptive and could lead to further problems in other parts of the structure.

The Truth about Concrete Replacement

Replacing a concrete slab is the most expensive method to eliminate a tripping hazard. Not only will you have the cost to tear out and remove the old concrete, but you will also need to pay for the grading, materials, and labor for the new slab.

Concrete replacement is also extremely disruptive. Besides creating loud noises with the jack-hammers, removing the old concrete creates a great deal of dust and mess. It also tears up the soil and landscaping surrounding the slab. Bringing in a cement truck to pour the concrete can also tear up the yard and make a mess. Also, it takes a long time for the concrete to cure before you can use it again.

Finally, concrete removal and replacement could damage other parts of the structure while the concrete slab is removed and the soil is disrupted. If they are not properly braced, adjacent decks, porches, crawl spaces, drainage systems, and the foundation itself could be damaged during the process, leading to an even greater expense.

Concrete Raising and Leveling

Concrete raising involves pumping either a concrete grout (mudjacking) or a polyurethane solution (polyjacking) through holes in the concrete slab to fill the voids underneath and raise the concrete.

The Truth about  Concrete Raising and Leveling

Mudjacking

Mudjacking lifts and raises concrete slabs by pumping sand-based grout beneath it. The force of the pump pushes the slab back into place. Unfortunately, it is very messy, takes a long time to dry, and isn’t a permanent solution because the conditions that caused the soil to shift under the slab still exist. It will only be a matter of time before the slab has slipped again.

Polyjacking

Polyjacking, sometimes called foamjacking, lifts and levels slab foundations through injecting a high-density polyurethane foam beneath the slab through small holes drilled in the concrete. The foam expands and gently lifts the entire slab back into place.

Polyjacking has many advantages over mudjacking and other methods of concrete repair:

• It requires drilling only small holes
• The polyurethane solution is lighter than mud grout
• Polyurethane expands to fill in the holes and voids and stabilize the soil
• It takes much less time to apply and dry
• Polyurethane lasts a long time
• Polyurethane is waterproof and flexible during changes in the soil moisture or temperature
• Injecting beneath the slab does not disrupt surrounding structures, soil, utilities, or landscaping
• Poly foams are environmentally friendly, with up to 50% renewable and recycled materials
• Poly foams can be customized to each type of soil and conditions.

Initially, polyjacking is more expensive than either grinding or mudjacking. In the long-run, however, it is more cost-effective because it is extremely long-lasting and will not need to be redone in a year or two. Also, polyjacking not only stabilizes the soil, but it also strengthens it, so that the concrete is far less likely to crack or need to be replaced.

Contact Polyjacking.com to Eliminate Water Pooling

Polyjacking.com can raise your sunken slab to its proper level within an hour, allow you to use the slab almost immediately without waiting for concrete to cure, and provide a long-term solution to your problem.  Contact us today for a free estimate!

Spring Home and Foundation Repair Checklist

Signs of Home and Foundation Damage

As a homeowner in Kansas or Missouri, it is critical to the life of your home that you regularly inspect your home and foundation. Damage to your home’s structure or foundation can appear at any time of the year, but Spring is when signs are most noticeable. In case you’re not sure what to look for, try following this Spring Home and Foundation Repair Checklist.

Spring Home and Foundation Repair Checklist

• Plumbing damage – Moisture is the biggest threat to the stability of your foundation. It’s a good idea for you or a plumbing professional to inspect your plumbing system for leaky or loose fitting pipes to make sure that there is no excess moisture damaging your foundation.
• Foundation damage – Look at the foundation itself. Have there been any changes? Are there signs of shifting, cracking, or discoloration? If something doesn’t seem right, call a foundation repair professional to inspect it for you.
• Cracked floors or walls – Take a tour of the rooms in your home and look for new or widening cracks in the floors or walls. These are visual signs that your foundation may be shifting.
• Roof leaks – Hire a roofing contractor to regularly inspect your roof for leaks or other conditions that may trap or release any excess moisture into your structure.
• Mustiness or bugs in the basement – Inspect your basement. If there are bugs or a musty smell in your basement, these could indicate a moisture problem or foundation damage. Insects, including termites and earwigs, thrive in a moist environment.

Solving Foundation Problems

If you suspect plumbing, interior, roof, or basement issues, you’ll need a professional to inspect and provide a solution to these problems. For cracks, tilting, or other common concrete problems on your patio, sidewalk, driveway, or foundation, Polyjacking.com is an expert at diagnosing and repairing concrete structures and foundations. Call us today!