How Can I Prevent Concrete Slab Settling?

Concrete slab settling cannot be completely avoided in the same way you avoid breaking other things in your home. No matter how much you take care of your slab, there will always be some sort of settling going on. This is because soil will always get displaced in one way or another, whether we want it to or not. Still, there are certain measures that can be taken in order to slow down concrete settling and prolong the lifespan of the concrete. The trick is to prevent exposure to water and snow as much as possible.

For certain areas of the house, this might be difficult. If you have a pool deck, it will be nearly impossible to keep the area dry unless you simply don’t use the pool at all. Driveways, on the other hand, can be protected with a driveway cover. If you can’t have it up the entire year, try to use it during the winter. Winter can be extremely harsh on concrete and the soil underneath it, because of all the moisture and the damage from the freeze-thaw effect.

Soil erosion is a slow process, but it can actually happen pretty quickly in certain areas of the home, like near slabs that are right next to the soil in your garden. Planting foliage right next to the concrete slab’s edge will provide the soil with enough cover to slow down the soil erosion process. Last but not least, the best way to avoid severe settling is by recognizing the signs and getting repairs done early.