Tuesday, April 19, 2016

How Long Does Concrete Leveling Last???


Over the past 9 years I have completed almost 6000 estimates and we have raised over 30,000 slabs.  One of the most common questions I’m asked is “How long does concrete leveling last?”  Good questions often have more than one answer. Let me start with the Before-After-Now photo from this year which is 9 years after the project was completed and you can decide for yourself how long concrete leveling lasts.


The answer is years but it depends on a number of variables.  It is similar to asking how long car tires last. Well, it depends.  Are they being used on a race car or grandma’s car?  Are they used in rough or snowy conditions?  Is the driver aggressive and flooring it every time they come off a stop light or is every drive like a Sunday afternoon stroll in the countryside?   

If the concrete is caulked and any drainage issues are resolved A-1 Concrete Leveling’s work will last for many many years.  We use high density limestone based slurry which fills voided areas below slabs and generates the pressure to raise those sunken slabs back to their original position.  One need not look further than the endurance of the Pyramids, also made of limestone, to know it has the potential to outlast an Egyptian Dynasty or many nasty Northeastern winters.

Friday, April 1, 2016

A-1 Concrete Leveling starts 2016 by extending the life of a driveway…

Most customers know that A-1 Concrete Leveling uses its patented equipment to raise sunken concrete but did you know that concrete can be stabilized before significant settling occurs?  Over time the sub-base below the concrete become eroded due to compaction and drainage in conjunction with the freeze-thaw cycle.

Those that have purchased new concrete over the last few years know that the cost of concrete can practically match the cost of a new car. Would you throw out your car if it needed maintenance? Do you perform preventative maintenance to your car prior to it having an issue? Do you have money to throw away?

A-1 Concrete Leveling’s system uses the counterweight of the concrete, in conjunction with its tensile strength, pushes against the ground trying to find solid ground to support the weight of the concrete. By doing so the concrete is not entirely resting on solid ground and is supported by an unstable soil surface which will increasingly be an unsuitable base for the concrete. This will result in cracking, movement, sinking, further instability and increased speed of deterioration. This deteriorating situation can be stopped or reversed by pressure injecting our limestone-based slurry below the concrete through 1” in diameter holes; the sub-base is thereby re-established and the life of the concrete is effectively extended. 


The fact is the smart money move is on saving the existing concrete before it costs really big money to replace! This is especially true for our corporate, industrial and municipal customers where “downtime” is more costly than just the cost of replacement. Pressurizing soil and voids below the concrete is preventative maintenance just like changing the oil or brake pads on your car; it makes financial sense and cents. Extend the life of your concrete with concrete leveling! We look forward to working with you soon.