Why You Should Never Wait To Fix The Cracks In Your Concrete

Concrete is known for its tough qualities, which makes it an attractive material for construction projects of all shapes and sizes, from parking lots to art installations. You probably have quite a fair bit of concrete in your home or business right now. One problem that can arise with concrete, however, is a variety of cracks. These cracks will often appear due to shrinkage or other, unpredictable reasons that have nothing to do with how it was poured, and it does not mean your concrete is totally destroyed. All it takes is a bit of crack repair, but it is essential you get this crack repair done as soon as possible, and here's why.

Water Seepage

While properly coated concrete is resistant to water seeping through to the foundations, any cracks in the surface will immediately negate this barrier. The problem with water getting through the surface and past the foundations of your concrete is that it can create holes in the dirt below your concrete which, in turn, will lead to more cracks or even potential cave-ins. Your concrete is only as strong as the weakest section of it and, in the case of a crack, you put your whole slab at risk if you don't get some crack repairs done quickly.

Cracks Turn Into Holes Very Quickly

As mentioned above, concrete is very tough but only when it has the entire surface intact and has no holes or gaps. Once your concrete walls or floor gets a crack, it will degrade quickly, meaning it is much easier for this crack to get bigger and turn from a minor nuisance into a major liability. While it may not seem like a big deal at the time, if left unchecked, this crack will have its edges chipped away, get wider and get deeper, and the cycle will continue until you have a crater-sized hole. Before this happens, you need to patch the crack in the concrete to restore the surface to an even and therefore stronger structure. 

Hazard For You And Your Family

Apart from the entire concrete section being at risk from a crack, you are also putting yourself and everyone who lives or works around the concrete at risk. Concrete is most commonly used as flooring in high-risk work areas such as garages, workshops, manufacturing plants and warehouses. Having an uneven surface around heavy-duty equipment is a recipe for disaster and could potentially put you in serious legal trouble if something does go wrong. Don't risk your family members' or employees' health, get crack repairs done and get your peace of mind back!

To learn more, contact a crack repair contractor.

Share