Uneven floors are not an uncommon problem and many homeowners are faced with dealing with them. They happen because a concrete slab beneath the floor is slowly sinking under its own weight. This can also cause cracks and separations in the doorway.
The only way to fix it is to lift the concrete slab and therefore even out the floor. This used to be a complicated procedure that required a lot of drilling and equipment, but with new materials and technology, it can be done quickly and without too much mess.
PolyRenewalTM Concrete Raising
PolyRenewalTM injections are used to lift the concrete and smooth out uneven surfaces. It’s an innovative method that’s used by the best repair companies out there since it’s a significant improvement in comparison to other methods out there. The difference is mostly in how easy it is to install and how little it disturbs your home.
The mixture is inserted inside the floor where it raises the soil and therefore the concrete slab as well. A skilled technician can use the right amount of it so that the floor is raised with precision and care.
How Is PolyRenewalTM Installed?
The biggest advantage of the PolyRenewalTM injections is in the fact that it’s easy to install and doesn’t take long until the concrete is usable after the repair. The process consists of four simple steps.
First, the holes are drilled into the concrete. That’s where the PolyRenewalTM will be injected. The holes are rather small, usually no bigger than a penny.
The second step is to insert the injection ports into the holes. This is where the professionals on our team will pour the foam into the concrete to lift it into position. That’s the third step in our process.
Our experts can inject the right amount of foam depending on how much the concrete has sunk and how cracked it is. This will ensure that the concrete slab is lifted and that there are no signs of repairs.
In the end, the holes are covered and smoothed over so that the area is presentable and no one can tell where injections were made. It takes about 30 minutes until the concrete is back to normal again and you can walk or drive across it.
Why Is PolyRenewalTM the Best Solution?
PolyRenewalTM is a relatively new method for fixing this problem but it’s superior to most others out there. That’s because it’s a long-term solution that will fix the soil issues themselves and not just the concrete slab that’s affected by it. This means that you only need to pay for the repair once, which isn’t the case with other methods.
Convenience
Most homeowners dread floor repairs since they leave a mess and disturb your day-to-day life. That’s much less true when you’re using PolyRenewalTM.
The repairs take only an hour or so from start to finish and there’s very little drilling involved. The holes used to inject the mixture into the concrete are rather small and can easily be covered up once the lifting is completed. The floors are completely usable within 30 minutes and you can place heavy furniture on top of them right away.
Flexibility
PolyRenewalTM is very flexible in terms of how much it can raise the concrete and how much a technician can affect it. When the drill holes are placed carefully and in the right places, and when the mixture is created with care, you can raise a slab precisely where it needs to be raised.
This isn’t the case with mudjacking and other techniques that we mentioned due to how they are inserted and how they expand and bind.
Longevity
One of the reasons most homeowners choose this method is the fact that it’s a one-time purchase. For the most part, you won’t need to raise your concrete floors ever again if you’ve used PolyRenewalTM. That’s because it fixes the underlying problem with the soil as well as the concrete slab itself.
At the same time, this means that PolyRenewalTM is less expensive than other methods out there since there are no hidden or additional costs. Mudjacking may be less expensive in terms of the costs upfront but after a while, you’ll need to repeat the process and that will end up costing you more. PolyRenewalTM is also waterproof and it can be used in areas with harsh weather or with a lot of humidity. It’s therefore a common solution for lifting concrete decks around a swimming pool. The material is a barrier for other chemicals meaning that it won’t be affected by most of the gardening products that are commonly used besides concrete slabs.
What Are the Upsides to Using PolyRenewalTM Injections?
There are many advantages to using PolyRenewalTM injections to lift the sunken concrete. That’s why this method is gaining popularity and it’s now completely replaced mudjacking and other invasive methods.
First of all, the installation process is simple and it doesn’t require a lot of work on the site. It’s also rather easy to fix the concrete slab and to cover up the traces of the repair afterward. The process is over in about half an hour and the homeowner can go back to using their property as they always have right away. PolyRenewalTM is also waterproof and it can be used in areas with harsh weather or with a lot of humidity. It’s therefore a common solution for lifting concrete decks around a swimming pool. The material is a barrier for other chemicals meaning that it won’t be affected by most of the gardening products that are commonly used besides concrete slabs.
What Should a Homeowner Do to Prepare?
The first thing to do as a homeowner is to inspect your home and be aware of the issues that may arise. As soon as you do, you should hire the experts to do an estimate of the damage and help you choose the lifting method that’s best suited to your needs.
There’s very little a homeowner can do in terms of the installation process since it should be done by experts using the proper equipment. It’s best to remove the furniture and anything that can break from a room in which the installation will take place. Some homeowners also remove the flooring beforehand so that our crew has easy access to the slab, but that’s not something you have to do.
The Cost
When discussing the cost of the repairs, you should keep a few things in mind. The first is obviously your budget as is the case with making any other purchase. The second is the additional cost that comes with using an inferior method to raise the concrete. If you need to have a crew over again in a few years, you haven’t saved on anything.
Lastly, it’s important to take into account how such a problem affects the price of your home. Sunken floors are dangerous and don’t do very well when you’re trying to sell a home. It’s therefore an investment into your property.
What Causes Uneven Interior Slabs?
The problem originates with the pouring of the concrete slab itself. If it’s poured on wet and poorly contracted soil, you’re going to have a problem. Over time, that soil will settle and when it does, the concrete slab will as well. Your floor will sink and crack too, leading to uneven surfaces that are both dangerous and unpleasant to look at. It’s an issue that many homes built a few decades ago in Knoxville, TN are facing.
The weight of the floor will pull down walls and doorways and create gaps at the seams between them since that’s the weakest part of the wall. It’s usually difficult to notice the problem before it becomes serious since the cracks appear below the floorboards.
Signs of Interior Slab Sinking
The most noticeable sign of concrete slab problems is uneven floors. However, when the issue gets that far, the slab will have been sinking for a while. Thankfully, there are smaller signs that you should be on the lookout for to notice the issue before it gets out of hand.
For instance, if you notice that doors and windows are getting stuck more often than they used to, it’s probably because the floors are sinking and the doors and windows aren’t fitting as well as they used to. Don’t overlook this small issue. React as soon as you notice it and the repairs will be easier and less costly.
Replacing the Slab
One way of fixing the problem is to remove the concrete slab altogether and install a new one. This is very invasive and requires you to remove your floors first. It’s best to leave this solution for when there’s no other.
When the cracks and uneven surfaces are too damaged to be lifted, there’s nothing else you can do. It’s, therefore, best not to wait too long, but to react as soon as you notice cracks in the doorway or slight slants in the floor. In the long run, that’s also a less expensive way to go.
Mud jacking
Mud jacking is a traditional solution for fixing concrete slabs, but it’s slowly growing out of favor due to how invasive it is. The term comes from the mixture that’s injected into the concrete to raise it. The mixture known as mud is injected into the floor through drilled holes.
It then lifts the concrete without dealing with the soil imperfections that have caused the problem in the first place. Even though this is enough to even out the floors, it won’t fix the underlying issue, which means the floor can sink again after a while.
Installing Piers
Another traditional way of dealing with leveling floors is to install piers beneath the floor level. Piers are used to hold up the weight of the floor by transmitting it to the sturdy ground below. Push piers are a good solution since they can hold the floor up for decades without the need for any further work.
They are, however, rather difficult to install, and require drilling large holes in the ground. This will disturb your home life for a while and may even require you to move out of the home for a few days, which is why other methods are more popular.
Interior Slab Leveling
FAQ's
Uneven floors are caused by the soil beneath them settling. This happens due to the nature of the soil and how homes are constructed. However, the problem only gets worse over time because the weight of the concrete slab itself pushes down on the soil, causing it to sink even further.
It Can Happen Without You Knowing
When the floors become uneven, you’ll know that you have a problem that needs fixing. However, the concrete slab can sink and damage your home without you even knowing about it. The cracks in the slab will appear before it starts to sink, but you won’t be able to tell since it’s covered by flooring.
Lowering floor levels also causes a variety of other problems that tend to go unnoticed or at least aren’t associated with sinking concrete. That’s what happens when your doors and windows get stuck or don’t fit as nicely as they once did. Pay attention to these changes and schedule an inspection when you notice them.
Foundation Problems
Sometimes sinking floors aren’t only about the slab beneath the floorboards but about the foundations of your home as well. This requires complex repairs such as installing piers that will shift the weight of your home and keep it level.
It’s best to address the foundation issues as soon as you’re aware of them since structural problems such as these can cause your whole home to collapse if they aren’t treated right away.
Prevention
It’s possible to prevent such problems but only for those who are building their home from the ground up. If you fix the soil issues before a concrete slab is placed on top of it, you won’t have to deal with the sinking in the years to come.
Prevention methods are the same as the ones used to fix the problem. The foam is inserted into the soil and it fills up the cracks in it so that the soil can’t be washed off by water. It gives it the structural integrity needed to build on top of it.
As is the case with any other large purchase, a homeowner should be aware of the costs, how they are calculated, and what they’re paying for. It’s best to do your own research on the matter and come up with your own conclusions based on it. That’s done by taking into account the cost of the work in your area, but also by considering what services you are paying for when scheduling a concrete slab lifting.
The Free Estimate
The first thing to do is schedule a free inspection that will let you know what’s the extent of the damage and what’s the best course of action. This needs to be done as soon as you notice the damage, including the lesser-known signs of it, such as jammed doors. It often happens that the extent of the damage below the surface is greater than you thought it would be, so don’t be alarmed by this.
It’s best to leave the experts in the field to assess the level of damage and use their recommendations about what to do next. Years of experience and training are essential for choosing the best course of action with this sort of damage. Chances are that if you’re experiencing some sort of soil settlement problem, our experts have seen it before and know what to do.
Consider the Opportunity Cost
Taking into account the cost of the repairs is a reasonable thing to do, but it’s not always a good idea to make a call based on the number alone. Opportunity costs that come with choosing less costly options can sneak up on you and end up costing you more in the long run.
It’s also a good idea to inquire about the warranty policy if there is one since it’s a repair that doesn’t need to be done that often. As a general rule, warranties that last a few years aren’t a good option with this sort of job, since there’s little chance that a new problem will present itself that quickly. Lifetime warranties, on the other hand, are usually just a marketing tool.
The most important thing a homeowner needs to do about this problem is remain vigilant and notice the signs that the repair is needed. If you do this and react on time, you’ll save yourself a lot of time, effort, and money. When it comes to the repair itself, there’s little to worry about or do.
Equipment Is Provided by Our Team
This isn’t a do-it-yourself type of repair and you shouldn’t even try to fix it on your own. The holes need to be drilled with special consideration for how the slab will be raised and you’ll need the proper equipment to install the foam. It’s therefore a project that needs to be left to the experts.
Homeowners often ask if they need to provide electricity or water supply to the job site. A lot of the time, the properties that need fixing aren’t in use and they are flip properties that aren’t yet ready to be sold until the work is completed. There’s no need to do any of that; our crew will bring and install their own equipment. All that you need to do is provide access to the property.
Removing the Furniture
Our team will need to have access to the floor and to drill holes into it, so it’s best to remove all the furniture from the area beforehand. That way, the work will start and be finished faster. It’s also useful if the furniture is stored away from the job site so that it doesn’t get dirty or damaged.
Our crew will be happy to help with carrying large pieces of furniture for you. We will also close up the holes needed for the installation. The cleaning is usually left to the homeowners themselves.
Make Sure You Notice Every Slant
In the end, it’s important to let our team know about any slant or imperfection that you’ve noticed. That way, the inspector can take into account the state of your property as a whole and advise you on what needs fixing right away and which repairs can be delayed.
Since it’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of job, don’t hesitate to point out the small cracks and imperfections. That way, you can get the full picture of how damaged the soil beneath your home is. Homeowners are often surprised by how badly the soil has settled.
Let AFS Foundation & Waterproofing Specialists Lift Your Interior Concrete Slabs
Floors tend to get slanted and uneven because the concrete slab beneath them sinks when the soil beneath it does. That’s a problem that starts as soon as the concrete slab is poured and it becomes noticeable only when repairs are needed.
There are a few ways to fix the issue but the most innovative and least invasive one is injecting PolyRenewalTM into the floor. It will raise the floor and fix the settlement issues that have caused it in the first place.
Schedule a free inspection and the professionals in the area will help you pick up the best method and fix your floors within a few hours.
LET OUR CONCRETE LIFTING EXPERTS HELP YOU
Schedule A Free Estimate
