Contractor Installation: Poor or improper compaction of the base before concrete was poured.
Soil types: Sinking concrete often gives us obvious signs,but not all displaced concrete has settled. Tree roots can push concrete out of the ground. As well where heavy clay soils exist concrete is prone to heaving,excessively wet soils expand when overburdened by moisture and contract or shrink when dry.
Machine/Traffic Vibrations: Concrete slabs may shift or settle on highways or in industrial settings where frequent heavy vibrations or loads are being transported. The vibrations from machinery and passing traffic can lead to the base compacting and slabs settling or moving.
Within the first few years after the concrete has been poured, settlement is most likely. The soil compacts naturally and will only experience such dramatic compaction again if the soil is disturbed, flooded, or significant weight is added. Concrete corrected by mud jacking is more likely to experience additional settling than concrete corrected by polyurethane injection because the material used not only adds up to 150 pounds per cubic foot to the void beneath the concrete but it can also be washed away and broken down. Polyurethane injections are less likely to experience additional settling as the material weighs in at about 2 pounds per cubic foot and is hydrophobic so it will not break down or wash away due to the forces of Mother Nature.
While traditional mudjacking companies use an injection hole that is 1 5/8” – 2” Liftech drills an early invisible 5/8” hole (the size of a dime) to install the poly urethane lifting material. Not only are our holes far less visible but more importantly,due to their size, help maintain the structural integrity of the concrete.
That depends on the size of the job. However, the average residential job can be completed in 2 – 3 hours.
Concrete raising is typically a third to half the cost of replacing the same concrete.Ultimately, the cost of raising or stabilizing concrete is a direct reflection of how much material the project will take. Because the cost of a lifting project is based on the volume of material needed to do a lift, costs can escalate quickly if large voids are present needing more material.
A lot of people think that all polyurethane foam material is the same, but that just isn’t true. The polyurethane foam material used by Liftech for concrete raising is made up of more than 40% recycled materials, which means that we, and you, leave less of an imprint on the environment, which means it won't leach harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil. Foams from this product line have achieved USDA Certified Bio based Product approvals. Additionally, the recycled components are reducing the need for petroleum-based raw materials.
Concrete lifting is often a more cost-effective, quicker, and less disruptive solution compared to replacing a concrete slab. It can restore the functionality and appearance of concrete surfaces like driveways, sidewalks,and patios without the need for expensive and time-consuming demolition.
Concrete lifting canhelp raise the slab and level it, but it will not directly repair largecracks. However, lifting the concrete back to its original position may closesome small cracks or prevent them from worsening. For more extensive crackrepair, you may need to consider crack filling or other methods in conjunctionwith lifting.
No, one of the benefits of concrete lifting is that it is minimally invasive. The injection process involves drilling small holes (Liftech drills holes only 5/8 inch in diameter), so your lawn, landscaping, and hardscaping will generally not be disturbed.After the job, the holes are patched, and the area is restored to its original condition.
Concrete lifting can be used on a wide range of concrete surfaces, including:
However, the success of lifting depends on the condition of the concrete and the underlying soil. If the slab is severely cracked or broken, lifting may not be effective, and replacement might be necessary.