6 Signs Your Concrete Needs Repair

Concrete faces a lot of abuse from natural elements such as heavy rains, temperature changes, strong winds, blizzards, insect/pest activity and wear and tear from human activities. With the beginning of spring here, and many businesses facing serious downtime in traffic during COVID-19, now is the perfect time to inspect for damage and get repairs done. Team Cam can help with looking for signs of distress as well as getting your business up to code with any ADA Compliance issues like updating or repairing concrete sidewalks, entrances, ramps and much more.

How to know when concrete has problems:

     1. CRACKED WALLS

Cracked walls and buckling basement floors indicate that the foundation slab has an underlying problem. If you notice such a problem on your property, it’s advisable to call in a professional to perform a site assessment and recommend what needs to be done. If such an issue is caught before it spreads, you may just need to touch up the foundation. Without an inspection, it will be difficult to identify the source of the problem.

     2. RADON

Building foundations and basements need to be tested for radon because it’s a toxic chemical that can have damaging effects to the health of a building’s occupants. If a radon test comes back as positive, it means that the foundation needs to be sealed to eliminate the leakage.

     3. CRACKS OR SWELLING IN FLOORING OF GARAGES, LOADING ZONES, AND PARKING LOTS

Cracks are a sure sign that concrete needs to be repaired. Swelling is also a sign of what is going on underneath the concrete surface. Sometimes, prolonged dry spells can cause the soil underneath the concrete to contract to a point where the concrete is affected. If a surface has been newly created, enough time should be given for the concrete to settle in case the surface underneath was not packed properly.

     4. PROLONGED USE

Prolonged use of a surface will also lead to general wear and tear. At about the 20-year mark, it’s important to assess the need to repave concrete surfaces in order to prevent any further damage, injuries and give property a better aesthetic appeal.

     5. HOLES

Holes in concrete can cause injuries, machine/equipment malfunction and cracks if moisture collects in the holes. In winter, water contained in such holes will freeze and thaw (causing repeated contraction and expansion), and this will result in further deterioration.

     6. CHEMICALS

If a surface constantly handles chemicals such as acid, paints, thinners, fuel, oil, gases, fertilizers and others, the signs are bound to show after a few months or years. Cleaning agents will also strip the surface of its original look and result in fading.

This spring, stay ahead of any potential problems, and let Team Cam help you keep your building or property up to code and in perfect shape. Give us a call today for a free estimate at (443) 681-6111.