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Foundation Repair

Concrete Repair 101: What Causes Sidewalks to Deteriorate and Crack Over Time?

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The life and durability of the sidewalks around your home vary. If they are quality materials, they may not crack or deteriorate for a very long time. However, if the materials are not quality or if the weather has extremes, then your sidewalks may have hairline cracks or breakage. 

Concrete is also not perfect. It breaks, cracks, and deteriorates like anything else.  So, because of that, sidewalks will have to be repaired. When the extreme Maryland weather, winter ice to summer humidity, the materials in the concrete contract and expand, causing the concrete to deteriorate. ***

These extreme weather events on concrete crack, break, and sink. Rain, dew, and moisture also seep into the sidewalk cracks, expanding them. Eventually, the concrete looks worn out and unsightly.  

So, what other factors besides weather can cause sidewalk cracking?  

  1. One factor that many people don’t know is that concrete has weight limitations. It can withstand limited weight, but over time it will begin to deteriorate due to these factors:   
  2. People walking on concrete sidewalks. 
  3. Heavy equipment that is rolled across the sidewalks may cause it to crack or break. 
  4. Poor installation damages the concrete before the expected time.  
  5. Air pockets. Empty spaces in the soil below the concrete slab may cause cracking. This usually occurs when the concrete slab sits on uneven ground and has not solidly compacted, creating air pockets. After a while, soil settles into these pockets. Soil is not strong enough to hold it, causing the slab to sink and crack.
  6. Substances like HCL, Sulphur and salt trigger the deterioration, creating deep cracks in the concrete slab.

It’s not difficult to find out if your sidewalks are falling apart. You can just look at them. Their appearance will tell you if it needs to be repaired or replaced. If you see that your sidewalk is damaged or cracked, contact a licensed and experienced concrete repair contractor. 

When it gets even worse, and it will, it may cause injuries. So, now it is a liability risk. Don’t delay in getting this repaired.  

If you are seeing cracks in your sidewalks, contact M. Taylor Enterprise for an inspection. We will analyze it and make recommendations. Our experienced concrete repair team will make the necessary repairs. We specialize in all types of concrete and masonry. When we do masonry repairs to an existing structure, we go out of our way to match the mortar color. Contact us at (301) 649-3406 for a consultation.

We serve the Montgomery County, Maryland area.

*** For more information about concrete, visit the Popular Mechanics website.  

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Concrete Repair 101: Why Your Concrete Walkway Is Uneven

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No matter how old your house may be, it is deteriorating. I know that sounds common-sensical, but it’s a fact of life. You will always have some repair coming or one going on now. 

One part of your home that you may not notice at first is your concrete walkway. It is used every day and takes a pounding from weather and usage. Eventually, the walkway will deteriorate and become uneven. There are several reasons why this has occurred:

  1. Tree roots: Trees and bushes can have large roots. These roots grow under the walkway and push up against both the driveway and the sidewalk. Roots can even break through thick pipes and cables. Depending on the soil and drought conditions, tree roots push up concrete slabs. They become uneven and can also crack or shift. This is a tripping and falling hazard. If it’s the driveway, the shifts and breaks may make it difficult to park or safely drive in and out of the driveway. 
  2. Weather: The sidewalk and driveway are daily exposed to the elements. Weather can be brutal from extreme heat to extreme cold. We see both in Maryland from ice to floods to droughts. We see it all. That variation in extremes causes the soil under the walkway to be washed away. Water can also drag particles out of the soil. The walkway may sink or settle unevenly. shed away. 
  3. Changes in the soil. Though concrete is strong, it will not hold its weight unless it’s reinforced. Most concrete used in sidewalks and driveways is placed directly on the soil. Once the soil shifts, expands, contracts or washes away, this can cause major damage to your sidewalk or driveway. During the drier seasons, the soil shrinks while during the wetter months, the soil expands. Movement occurs in the soil during these extremes, making the concrete sit unevenly or tilt.
  4. Weight. Driveways and sidewalks are designed for parking and walking. They get used often and will wear out. Excessive weight will make driveways and walkways sag. But it isn’t just automobiles and people. Moving pods, storage containers, and packed vehicles can also tilt and crack. The longer these vehicles or containers sit on the driveway, the more likely they will crack. 

If these cracks and tilts are not repaired, they can be a major hazard. Your home foundation repair contractor should be contacted. They may mud jack it. This process is where holes are made in the concrete, down to the base, and the space is filled with a slurry compound. This compound lifts the base of the concrete back to its original position. It’s not always successful if the cause of the uneven walkway is soil issues. 

If you are seeing cracks in your walkway or driveway, contact M. Taylor Enterprise for an inspection. We will analyze it and make recommendations. Our experienced concrete repair team will make the necessary repairs. We specialize in all types of concrete and masonry. When we do masonry repairs to an existing structure, we go out of our way to match the mortar color. Contact us at (301) 649-3406 or at matt@mtaylorenterprise.com for a free consultation.

We serve the the Montgomery County, Maryland area.

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Red Flags: When Your Home Masonry Needs Repair

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If you have owned a home for any period of time, you know it needs care and maintenance. Whether it’s a masonry home built in 1925 or 2015, it will need repairs to its structure and foundation, sooner or later. You can count on it.

So, it’s good to have your eyes peeled and even inspect your masonry home and foundation on a monthly basis to see if there are problems. It doesn’t need a trained home masonry contractor eyes, either.

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In fact, there are several red flags you can see for yourself that may indicate that your home needs masonry repair:

    1. Mortar missing: Brick walls usually need to be re-pointed or repaired every fifteen years. Joints need to be filled with mortar.
    1. Masonry cracks: These would be cracks in the brickwork and masonry and these are serious. Even a small, thin crack can cause damage.
    1. Water infiltration: Water enters the home through cracks in the foundation and walls. Persistent exposure to water weakens the concrete and eats away at the mortar between bricks and concrete blocks.
    1. Interior problems: In a previous blog, we have detailed the many interior structural problems that occur from foundation issues: windows and doors that don’t close, water stains on walls and musty smells.  
    1. Problematic mortar joints: Mortar joints are the spaces between the concrete and the stone. After several years, those joints begin settling thus causing slanted or cracked mortar joints.  
    1. Chimney breaks and cracks: Chimneys that are deteriorating are a fire hazard. And, that deterioration can be seen. A rusted damper, cracks in chimney, blue tile bits piling up at the bottom, flaking brick or mortar breaking down.  
  1. Shoddy workmanship: If the home masonry contractors used inferior building materials, those can also cause cracks and breaks in the foundation and walls. In time, the foundation has uneven settling causing masonry damage. Vermin, rodents and in insects will then eat through the concrete and mortar unleashing serious damage.   

If you see any of the above issues, you need to consult a licensed home masonry structural or basement waterproofing contractor. The contractor will find matching bricks or mortar to replace the damaged sections of your home.

M Taylor Enterprise has licensed, experienced home masonry contractors who can do a consultation and then do the needed repairs, efficiently and help you improve the quality and appearance of your home in the Montgomery County, MD, Silver Spring , MD or Washington, D.C. area. Call us at (301) 649-3406 or email us at matt@mtaylorenterprise.com.