Sinking Concrete Steps

Solid, reliable stairs are crucial for the safety and accessibility of your North Carolina home.

When your concrete steps start sinking, they pose safety threats and can significantly reduce your home’s curb appeal. These challenges, though common in North Carolina homes, stem from various causes.

Dry Pro Foundation & Crawlspace Specialists are at the forefront in managing these problems, offering top-notch, individualized solutions. By utilizing our broad expertise and the latest technology, we ensure that your home’s concrete steps are safe and appealing once again.

Throughout this article, you will grasp the underlying reasons for sinking concrete steps and how Dry Pro’s specialized solutions can restore your home’s safety and appearance through concrete lifting.

What Are Sinking Concrete Steps?

Sinking concrete steps manifest as noticeable dips or imbalances in concrete stairs, frequently leading to uneven surfaces and compromised structure.

Such issues can significantly endanger the safety of your home and diminish its visual appeal. These signs often point to deeper concerns like soil shifting or structural disparities, underscoring the need for prompt attention to halt further damage or potential mishaps.

Around your property, you might observe other related concrete challenges, such as:

Sunken concrete stairs pose significant tripping hazards and impact your home’s appearance. If left unaddressed, continued deterioration can eventually lead to staircase failure, making timely and professional intervention by Dry Pro crucial.

What Causes Sinking Concrete Steps?

There are several causes of sinking concrete steps including:

Settling Soil: When the soil underneath your stairs compacts, shifts, or sinks, it causes the concrete above to settle and crack. This is common with expansive soils high in clay content.
Eroding Soil: Water flowing under or against the stairs will erode and wash away the supporting soil. This undermines the integrity of the concrete.
Tree Roots: As tree roots grow, they shift the underlying soil and can lift and crack concrete from underneath by exerting upward pressure.
Excessive Rain and Flooding: Chronic moisture exposure—from heavy rain, flooding, and snowmelt—softens the soil and leads to erosion under the stairs.
Freeze-Thaw Cycles: Water that seeps into existing cracks, then freezes and thaws, will expand those cracks with each cycle.
Substandard Concrete Work: Weak concrete that wasn’t adequately prepared or had problems during the curing process is prone to cracking and sinking over time.

Importantly, these factors impacting the steps also endanger your home’s foundation, emphasizing the need for comprehensive solutions from specialists like Dry Pro Foundation & Crawlspace Specialists.

Can You Fix Sinking Concrete Steps?

Of course, mending sinking concrete steps is a feasible task. It’s essential, though, to avoid short-term or incomplete solutions that might not stand the test of time. While DIY patches or traditional techniques like mudjacking might seem appealing, they often prove to be temporary, demanding more time, money, and effort in the long run.

For a comprehensive solution, addressing both the evident damages and hidden concerns affecting your North Carolina home’s structural integrity is key. Dry Pro offers end-to-end solutions, ensuring every aspect of the issue is meticulously tackled.

Our primary remedy is a method known as concrete lifting. This technique involves the injection of a high-density polyurethane foam beneath the concrete, allowing it to gently raise and stabilize the slab. This foam sets quickly, usually within 15 minutes, ensuring minimal disruption to your daily life.

Depending on the severity of the damage, other specialized techniques, such as the introduction of foundation piers, might also be employed.

How to Fix Sinking Concrete Steps

Dry Pro uses a state-of-the-art concrete lifting method to securely mend sinking concrete steps. The detailed steps we follow in this process include:

Assessment: We complete a detailed inspection to identify the extent, causes of the damage, and repair plan.
Drill Holes: We drill small holes—the size of a penny—into the affected concrete.
Position Ports: We place injection ports into the holes before installation.
Mix Foam: We mix the specialized two-part polyurethane foam together.
Inject Foam: We inject the high-density foam underneath the affected concrete.
Lift Steps: The foam fills voids between the concrete steps and the soil. As it cures, it gently lifts the sunken sections.
Fill Holes: Once the steps are stable, we fill the drilled holes for a smooth finish.
Fill Cracks: We also fill and repair any cracks to prevent future damage.
Maintain Safety: We offer various service and maintenance programs to ensure stability and longevity.

Why Address Sinking Concrete Steps Now

Tackling sinking concrete steps without delay is essential for several key reasons:

Stop the Progression of Damage: Neglecting the deteriorating stairs only speeds up the wear, especially as water infiltrates expanding cracks. Timely intervention curtails further issues.
Avoid Foundation Problems: Just as telling, soil that’s settling beneath steps can be a red flag for potential foundation troubles. Addressing these early safeguards your foundation.
Uphold Safety Standards: Uneven, descending stairs heighten the risk of falls and injuries for everyone – residents and visitors alike. Elevating sunken concrete eradicates these trip threats and ensures stability.
Preserve Property Worth: Cracked, sagging stairs tarnish the look and appeal of your home. Trustworthy repairs not only preserve but can enhance your home’s aesthetic and structural value.
Lasting Repair: Dry Pro’s concrete lifting solutions come with a solid warranty, assuring you of their longevity. The sooner you act, the less expensive and more manageable the fixes will be.

Stay ahead of the game by entrusting Dry Pro to examine and mend your sinking concrete steps. Our seasoned expertise ensures a trusted, lasting remedy.”

Contact Dry Pro for Top-Notch Concrete Lifting Solutions

Elevate your North Carolina home’s aesthetics and safety levels with Dry Pro’s expert concrete lifting services.

Get in touch with us today to schedule your complimentary inspection without any obligations. We’ve been in the industry, serving North Carolina homeowners, for over 20 years, ensuring reliable and quality service.

FAQs

Why are sinking concrete steps common in North Carolina homes?

Communities throughout North Carolina have specific soil characteristics, such as expansive soils with high clay content, which can lead to soil settling and shifting. This, combined with factors like excessive rainfall, eroding soil, and freeze-thaw cycles, makes sinking concrete steps a common concern in the area.

How does Dry Pro’s concrete lifting method differ from traditional methods?

Traditional methods, like mudjacking, involve drilling larger holes and pumping a mud mixture under the concrete. While it can be effective, it’s often less durable than modern techniques. Dry Pro utilizes a high-density polyurethane foam injection method, which requires smaller holes and offers a faster, more permanent solution. This foam sets quickly and provides a more uniform lift, ensuring minimal disruption and longer-lasting results.

How long does the concrete lifting process take, and how soon can I use my stairs post-repair?

The concrete lifting procedure, in most cases, can be completed within a few hours. The polyurethane foam used sets quickly, usually within 15 minutes, allowing you to use your stairs almost immediately after the process. However, we recommend waiting for the entire repair area to be inspected and given an all-clear by our specialists to ensure safety.

Resources

Homeowner’s Guide to Concrete Repair

Learn more about the best methods to lift and repair your sinking or cracked concrete.

Concrete Leveling: Everything You Need to Know

Concrete leveling rectifies uneven or sunken surfaces, enhancing safety and aesthetics. Discover its various methods like polyurethane foam injections and mudjacking, cost considerations and expert advice on when and how to proceed with repairs.