You can use concrete to beautify your house. You should never forget that concrete also involves certain dangers and problems. Some of these problems include construction errors, disintegration, and scaling which means concrete starts to chip off in small fragments. This can lead to structural damage to your concrete structure. Efflorescence causes the concrete in your house to develop cracks and deteriorate. The concrete surface in your house also faces erosion. Regular inspection and monitoring help in dealing with such issues in your house effectively.

Effect of Construction Errors

You can encounter numerous errors during construction. These errors include mixing extra water in the concrete mix, consolidation in an inadequate manner, and improper curing that can cause distress. The concrete can also deteriorate with time. You should also consider hiring a professional contractor who can assist you in preventing construction errors to make your home secure. Concrete also develops small holes in its surface which are called bug holes. These are generally caused when too much sand is mixed in the concrete.

Scaling and Disintegration

Scaling makes your concrete surface unstable and the process of scaling causes the concrete wall to flake. If the construction company fails to repair this type of deterioration, it can cause structural damage to your home. When concrete breaks down into small fragments the process is called disintegration. Disintegration in concrete is caused by chemical attacks, freezing, and thawing. Disintegration can also be caused due to poor practices followed by the construction company.

Cracks in Your Concrete Surface

There are two kinds of cracks visible in the concrete in your house. These include surface cracks and structural cracks. In general, the surface cracks both deep and wide and you can measure these cracks in millimeters. You can see such cracks on the hairline surface area of your concrete surface. The structural cracks are larger, which means they are approximately 0.25 inches in breadth. Structural cracks are caused due to an inappropriate proportion of material that is filled in your concrete at the time of construction of the house.

Efflorescence

The concrete surface generally has very thin cracks. Efflorescence is a white substance that enters these cracks when water seeps into the cracks of your concrete surface. Efflorescence can lead to deterioration of the concrete surface due to freezing or thawing of water that enters the cracks of the walls. This results in severe damage during extreme weather conditions.

Inspection & Monitoring for Concrete Surface

You should focus on regularly inspecting and monitoring your concrete surface to identify common problems in the concrete. Every year you must inspect concrete structures so that you can track any damage caused due to severe weather conditions. All concrete surfaces must have proper ventilation and you must take precautions to prevent water leaks into the surface. Structural cracks require regular monitoring and inspection.

Bottom Line

Regular monitoring and inspection of concrete surfaces help you to prevent cracks in the concrete surface. You can also hire a top construction firm to address common problems in your concrete surface with apt strategies to rectify such problems. Don’t let such problems weaken your concrete surface.

Meet Lance Davis

MEET LANCE DAVIS

Lance Davis is a third generation Concrete Contractor with over 10+ years experience in concrete repair and slabjacking. His company Davis & Sons Concrete has proudly served all of North Central Illinois, Rockford and the outer suburbs - and he would love to hear from you!

Click for your FREE Estimate!
Or Call (815) 663 - 5555