Do I Have to Replace My Slab?

Replacing and repairing is part of being a homeowner. Knowing when to replace and when to repair is crucial if you want to save money. 

Many homeowners believe that something that has been repaired once is bound to break even faster, so replacing is the way to go if you want to reset the object’s lifespan. While that may be true for electronics, it isn’t for the concrete slabs around your home. 

• When to Repair  

No matter the severity of the settling, concrete slabs should be repaired and lifted. Remember, when a slab settles, it’s never because there’s a problem with the slab itself. While the soil layer under your slab was evenly spread out at first, external forces like soil washout cause it to erode. 

If your slab settles, it will not lose its strength after being repaired. Concrete lifting solutions like PolyRenewal™ work to prevent further erosion and provide the slab with reliable support. Even the holes drilled for polyurethane injections are incredibly small (about the size of a penny) and cause minimal disruption to the concrete’s structure. After repairs, you can put as much weight on your slab as you want, without any problems. 

• When to Replace  

It’s wise to look into repairing your slab instead of replacing it, especially if you want to save money. Not only is replacing a slab more expensive than repairing, but also it doesn’t solve your soil washout problems. You replace the slab and place a new, even layer of soil under it; but, that soil will wash out with time, and you’ll be having the same problems again. 

That’s not to say replacing is out of the question. If the slab has cracked to the point where it cannot be put back together, then you’re better off replacing it. Polyurethane foam is not a glue that can unite pieces of concrete, so while it can lift a bigger piece that has broken off, it cannot do anything for the smaller, cracked pieces.