How Long Does Concrete Leveling Last?

After you have Interwest level your concrete it should stay in place indefinitely. However, keep in mind that your concrete settled for a reason so it is important to address any root causes that may have caused the settlement. There are a number of things to consider when choosing a long term concrete leveling solution for your sunken concrete.

1. Why do you need concrete leveling in the first place?

Living in Utah, One of the most common cause of concrete settlement is erosion. Two likely contributors to erosion of soil beneath concrete slabs are drains and gutters. Drains and gutters can direct water underneath your concrete. If the adjacent grade to the concrete slab is too low, it can cause the water to flow from the high area to the lower area taking the soil beneath the concrete slab with it. Also, the same drains or rain gutters can cause soil consolidation or compaction beneath the slab. When collapsible soils become wet, they consolidate and settle. If downspouts or drains are not taken care of they can lead to concrete settlement, or cause the once lifted concrete to settle. The key to a long term concrete leveling solution in Utah is to fix the root cause. If you have a downspout that is surrounded by a concrete sidewalk or driveway, make sure you direct the water properly beneath the slab using downspout extension pipes. You can purchase these at Home Depot or Lowes. Also, make sure to purchase the pipes without small perforations. You don’t want the water to leak out until it makes it to the other side of the concrete slab. Once you extend the pipe past the sidewalk, install an end on the pipe that will allow the water to exit the pipe onto the top of your lawn. You can purchase these pipe ends with the extension pipe.

2. During the concrete leveling process, what type of material is being pumped under your concrete?

In order to perform concrete leveling properly, you need the right type of material to make sure your concrete stays in place. If the material does not fill the entire void, or if it is too weak to hold the concrete slab, you will need to level the concrete again. Interwest uses a dense, 4 part, mixture that has been proprietarily formulated for Utah. This special blend allows the material to spread smoothly below the slab and keep its strength by packing in tightly. This ensures the entire void under your concrete is filled, and makes sure that you won’t need to level your concrete foundation again.

3. Is there enough material being pumped under the concrete during the concrete leveling process?

Some companies try to do concrete leveling in Utah with as little material as possible. A trick of the trade is to mix the material so thick that it will lift the slab on columns instead of properly filling the voids to create lift. This results in them saving money and you paying more money down the road to have the concrete-lifting project done again.

So make sure that any causes of the original concrete settlement have been taken care of. Know what type of material your contractor is using to level your concrete slabs or foundation, and that it can support your concrete fully. Also make sure that they will use plenty of material to fill the voids, and lift properly. If your concrete is leveled properly it can last for the life of your concrete.