Concrete Mud Jacking

Many Chicago homeowners experience sinking concrete slabs due to the varying weather conditions in the Chicagoland area. The reasons for this phenomenon are simple. Early in spring, after the frost has thawed from the ground, homeowners often experience the unpleasant effect of ground consolidation, resulting in cracked and settled concrete. Concrete settlement will often lead to tripping hazards and improper water run off towards your foundation.

Concrete slabs will crack primarily due to poor soil preparation, consolidation or washout of material that originally sup­ported the slab. Further, once cracked, water penetrates the slab more easily, and the freezing and thawing of this water expedites the deterioration process of the concrete and its bearing soils. These situations are when mudjacking comes in to play.

Mud jacking, or concrete raising, is a process which hydraulically lifts an existing damaged concrete walkway, driveway, or steps to their original position via grout pressure. United Structural Systems of Chicago can expertly and cost effectively, mud jack your concrete slab back to its original height. Since it typically costs about half as much as total concrete replacement, it is often an affordable alternative.

United Structural Systems of Chicago only uses an environmentally safe mudjacking mixture that is pumped under existing concrete slabs to raise hazardous, unsightly areas back into place. Repairs are commonly made on sunken driveways, porches, sidewalks, floors, steps, patios, and pool decks
.
Our process begins with drilling several holes into the sunken concrete at appropriate locations. Then we start injecting the pressurized clay/cement slurry under the slab. Once the voids are filled, a continued application of the solution under low pressure causes the concrete slab to rise until the desired level of the slab is achieved.

Upon the completion of the mudjacking, the holes are sealed off using a durable cement mixture. The newly repaired area can usually be used the same day that we complete your slab repairs. Remember, as with all foundation repairs, not all mudjacking or mudjackers are the same. Extreme care must be taken to fill voids without over raising or sending pressurized grout to unwanted locations. This can only be accomplished with trained crews like the ones at United Structural Systems of Chicago.

Contact us to arrange a free inspection!