Settled sidewalks, sunken porch steps and lopsided driveways are just a few examples of the issues homeowners in Ogden, Utah, commonly face. Concrete lifting can solve these problems, and the repair technique works for uneven garage floors, too.
Why does it matter if your garage floor isn’t even? What caused the problem? Why is concrete lifting the best course of action? Get the answers to your questions below.
The Problems with an Uneven Garage Floor
A tilted garage floor isn’t just an eyesore. Left unaddressed, the defect could result in serious repercussions.
Whether a corner is starting to sink, or the floor has settled lower than the surface of the driveway, rain and melting snow may drain back into the garage, leaving pools of water. Puddles are a nuisance, to be sure, and they can also become breeding sites for mosquitos. And for anyone who uses the garage as a workshop, using electrical tools when standing on a wet floor is quite dangerous.
If the concrete is cracked, everything underneath the surface of the garage – which might include living areas as well as plumbing and electrical systems — could be at risk. Water pooling in the garage could reach the cracks, causing extensive damage.
In addition, with an uneven floor, the garage door may not operate as it should. As time goes on, the door leading into the home could become misaligned. Foundation damage can also occur, posing a threat to the stability of the entire structure.
How a Garage Floor Becomes Uneven
When a garage sinks or settles, concrete lifting is often the ideal solution – but why does the floor become uneven in the first place?
In some cases, poor grading practices during home construction is the reason. If the property isn’t sloped properly, rainwater and melting snow will stream into the garage instead of flowing down the driveway and into the sewer system.
For the most part, though, lopsided concrete is the result of soil settlement. This can occur due to sudden soil washout from a plumbing leak, flood or heavy rainfall. Wintertime frost heave, or pressure from subsurface ice, could also be to blame, as could misdirected gutters and downspouts, tree root growth and burrowing animals.
Whatever the cause, shifting soil can create voids or air pockets under slabs. Lacking adequate foundational support, concrete begins to sink.
Why Concrete Lifting is the Ideal Repair Option
Concrete lifting, also known as mudjacking, effectively raises settled and sunken slabs by injecting a mud-like slurry underneath. The process is straightforward, involving three basic steps:
- Step 1: After conducting a ground penetrating radar survey of the affected slab, a few small holes are drilled in strategic locations to fill the voids beneath.
- Step 2: Using a hydraulic pump, the slurry mixture is sent through the drilled holes, filling the voids and creating enough pressure to lift the slab.
- Step 3: Once the concrete reaches the proper position, the holes and any cracks in the surface are sealed to help prevent future water infiltration.
Why is concrete lifting the right choice for a garage floor? Ogden homeowners have a few good reasons:
- Price – Mudjacking is the least expensive fix for a slab that is settled, sunken or cracked, costing less than polyjacking and slab replacement.
- Time – Concrete lifting is a quick, non-disruptive method of repair, and most garage floor projects take just a few hours to complete.
- Results – Because the repair method stabilizes the soil under a slab, concrete lifting is an effective fix for an uneven garage floor.
Why not add a floor drain? Wouldn’t that be a smarter solution? Probably not. Installing a drain without tearing out the floor of a garage is a difficult and time-consuming endeavor. And as the slab continues to settle, the drain may not work all that well. Furthermore, building codes in some parts of northern Utah prevent homeowners from placing floor drains in garages, as there is a potential for hazardous waste to contaminate the local water supply.
But assuming you could install a functional drain system in your garage, going that route may not be the best plan. Concrete lifting is far more affordable – and since the mudjacking process will eliminate the voids in the soil under your garage floor, further settlement issues will be unlikely.
Schedule a Free Concrete Lifting Consultation Today
Most professional mudjacking contractors in the northern Utah area – including Lift-Up Concrete – offer free, no-obligation consultations.
If you contact a reputable concrete lifting company to inquire about fixing an uneven garage floor, a representative will visit your property to assess the extent of the damage. Afterwards, you will be given an estimate, based on the severity of the soil instabilities and the overall scope of the project. To ensure you pay a fair price, experts recommend getting a few concrete lifting estimates.
If you are looking for a highly skilled and experienced professional mudjacking contractor serving Ogden, Utah, reach out to the team at Lift-Up Concrete. We are proud to have a reputation for stellar workmanship, quality results and exceptional customer service. And with us, you can expect fair, affordable pricing. Contact us and request a free consultation to discuss concrete lifting for your uneven garage floor today.
