How Does Winter Affect Polyurethane Concrete Lifting?
Winter is on its way. The winter months bring cold temperatures and precipitation, which can adversely affect your concrete slab, but it can also affect the concrete lifting process. Maybe you have sunken slabs on your property you meant to have lifted in the summer or fall and didn't get around to it. You may be thinking, "is it too late?" The experts at Sanremo Poly-Foam are here to answer your questions! In this blog, we'll go over how your concrete is affected by winter weather and how winter affects polyurethane concrete lifting. Read on to learn more!
How Does Winter Affect Concrete Slabs?
Cold weather can create severe problems for concrete slabs. Concrete is a mixture of water, cement and other ingredients, which are more susceptible to cracking and contraction in winter. When concrete freezes, it expands as its volume increases due to the water molecules becoming bound together as ice crystals. As this occurs, cracks may appear in your surface or subsurface slabs—and this happens much more readily when there's already damage from issues such as sinking or settling. As concrete slabs freeze and thaw repeatedly over time, these cracks can get larger and become serious safety hazards! The natural freeze/thaw cycle and frost heave can also cause settlement issues if your slab is improperly backfilled during installation. If left untreated for too long, these issues could mean your entire concrete slab will need to be replaced.
Winter Weather Makes Polyurethane Concrete Lifting More Difficult.
The temperature outside does factor into the success of your concrete lifting project, but there are also other factors that come into play during the winter. Extreme cold causes the ground to freeze solid, making polyurethane concrete lifting difficult. The frozen ground can hold onto the concrete, sticking to the bottom of the slab and can cause the slab to break during the lifting process. Polyurethane concrete lifting can be limited by cold temperatures but not nearly as much as mudjacking. The polyurethane foam we use is created by combining two liquids that are heated in a temperature-controlled environment, then injected through a heated hose. Mudjacking is nearly impossible in the winter. Polyurethane foam is largely unaffected by outdoor temperatures, so it can be used effectively in cold weather.
Polyurethane Concrete Lifting Can Be Done In The Winter.
Even though it is more difficult, polyurethane concrete lifting can be done in the winter. It is a little harder to keep from sinking again than it would be in the summer, but it can still be done. If the ground is frozen solid, the slab may sink again when the spring melt starts because of the freeze/thaw cycle. Generally, we can lift concrete in temperatures down to 0 degrees Celcius. If it is colder than that, we suggest waiting until spring.
Sanremo Poly-Foam Can Lift Your Sunken Slabs.
If you have sunken slabs on your property, you still have some time to get them lifted before winter really sets in. At Sanremo Poly-Foam, we specialize in lifting sunken and settled concrete slabs with environmentally friendly polyurethane foam. We have years of experience in the concrete lifting industry, and we are here to help you level those sunken slabs! If you need a concrete lifting project done, contact us! We'll get you lifted in no time.