Homeowners Beware: Winter Has a Big Impact on the Concrete Around Your House

When we say "stress" in the winter months, you might be thinking around the holidays. But in fact, winter can cause a lot of trouble for the concrete around your home. Everything from snow, sand, and salt to freezing/thawing soil impacts concrete. This is why many homeowners feel their concrete has moved or deteriorated after the winter months.

But how does all of this affect the concrete?

Freezing temperatures cause what’s known as a frost line in the soil, including what’s under your concrete slabs. Water in the soil freezes and causes the soil to expand. This expanding soil can heave your slabs upwards and out of their proper place.

There are times the concrete returns back to normal once the ground below has thawed. But it’s also possible the concrete slab will not self-correct and will require concrete leveling by a professional. Additionally, moisture from melting snow can seep below the slab and contribute to this deterioration. This can wash away softened soil after the ground has thawed, resulting in a void under the slab.

Without the soil supporting the concrete, it can start to crack and sink.

There are a number of precautionary measures that homeowners can take to keep ice off their concrete walkways, patios, and driveways. This includes using salt or sand on the surface to encourage melting. Unfortunately, many of these methods wear away the concrete.

Concrete is porous, so it soaks up water at the surface from rain or melting snow. When temperatures drop below freezing the water turns into ice, which expands and breaks the walls of those tiny pores, weakening the concrete. Salt accelerates the breakdown of concrete by causing corrosion under the surface, making the concrete prone to cracking and crumbling.

Homeowners who are worried about the long-term effects of winter on their concrete can take preventative measures by sealing their concrete and caulking the joints. Alabama Professional Services has the best concrete repair products on the market to repair cracked concrete and protect the concrete around your home this winter. Before the winter weather hits, contact us to schedule your free concrete repair estimate.