Some pests, like squirrels, chipmunks, and birds, are adorable, while some are not and drive us homeowners crazy. Even the cute ones can wreak havoc on our homes, building nests in our entryways, swarming around the nest, pestering humans, and constantly tearing up our yards with their tracks and underground tunnels.
Though we apply our pest controls and even hire professional pest control companies to treat and prevent infestations and damage to our homes, some pests come back repeatedly to call our homes theirs. Some pests like moles even burrow deep in the ground, ruining our landscaping by lifting our grass and creating hazardous bumps that can cause our loved ones to trip in the grass.
Yes, all pests can be irritating to deal with. Though most create minor issues and are a hassle to deal with requiring routine maintenance to keep them away from our yards, others create permanent, bigger issues that affect our homes. Pests that burrow can cause concrete like a driveway or patio to sink! Keep reading to learn how burrowing pests can cause concrete to sink and what you can do about it.
Pests that Burrow
Some pests are at ground level, some scurry into trees while others burrow underground. Rodents like squirrels (unless they’re ground squirrels) and chipmunks like to nest in gutters if it’s near a tree and already dirty, full of leaves, acorns, and pine needles. Insects and arachnids like flies, spiders, and cockroaches, find their way inside our homes, often treated by pest control services. But other pests like moles, voles, carpenter bees, cicadas, and gophers burrow underground in our yards, causing those unsightly tracks that ruin the grass.
Pests like moles, voles, and gophers burrow underground to eat larvae and worms, their main food sources. They usually burrow deeper underground but will make those unsightly tunnels in our yards at the surface if food is limited. They can be a nuisance, creating an eye sore in our yards, and can cause trips and falls.
Though burrowing pests make our yards unsightly with tunnels lifting the surface of our lawns, they can do more than damage the grass. Moles, voles, and gophers burrow deep underground, often underneath concrete patios and driveways, causing sinks and cracks.
How Burrowing Pests Cause Concrete to Sink
As previously mentioned, moles, voles, and gophers dig tunnels underground, sometimes surfacing, creating those unsightly tracks in our yards when food is limited underground. Because they spend their lives digging new tunnels and burrowing underground, they unsettle soil. Unsettled soil makes it uneven, causing concrete to sink and develop cracks and tears in a slab.
Concrete sinks and cracks do not make for a picturesque backdrop to the oasis you’ve created on your patio. Whether you simply added patio furniture like couches, chairs, or tables, or took it a step further and added an outdoor rug, string lights, and other decor, burrowing pests can turn your patio slab into a nightmare. Furniture will be wobbly since the slab will be uneven, guests and loved ones can trip, and the patio will develop cracks and gaps as the concrete sinks.
How to Fix Concrete
Sinking concrete needs to be fixed to create a more appealing and beautiful patio or driveway and for safety reasons to protect the ones you love and invite into your home from tripping and falling on uneven concrete. The last thing you want is an injury when a loved one arrives at your home and trips in the sunken driveway or on the patio while walking out to enjoy your backyard.
A concrete crack filler can be applied as a DIY project for a temporary fix in narrow cracks. It’s best for filling small cracks in small spaces, not for concrete sinks. Sinking concrete requires a concrete leveling technique called polyjacking. Luckily, fixing concrete is easy if you hire a polyjacking company in Kansas City like Pro Polyjacking for concrete repair.
Unlike other concrete leveling techniques like mudjacking, polyjacking is a wallet-friendly option thanks to its longevity. Below is our polyjacking process that fixes concrete:
Pro Polyjacking’s Process is Easy!
Step 1 – Initial Assessment
Before we do any concrete repair, we’ll assess your concrete and provide you with a free quote for repairing your concrete. Whether it needs leveling, crack repair, joint repair, concrete cleaning/repair, or deep injections, you’ll have a complimentary quote outlining our solutions and costs.
Once you receive your assessment and quote and decide to hire Pro Polyjacking for your concrete repair, a friendly team member will schedule your polyjacking service.
Step 2 – Create Injection Sites
Once you hire us and we schedule your polyjacking service, next up is creating injection sites on the job. Unlike other concrete leveling techniques like mudjacking which require large holes, we drill small holes, the size of a dime that often goes unnoticed.
Step 3 – Injecting Polyurethane
Next up is the fun part – the polyurethane injection! We inject polyurethane foam under the sunken, cracked concrete. The foam will expand underground, lifting and leveling your concrete. It’s a permanent solution that stabilizes the soil underneath your driveway or patio to avoid future unsettling.
Burrowing pests are often to blame for concrete sinks and cracks, creating unsightly driveways and patios for passersby, neighbors, and potential homebuyers. If you’re tired of seeing your driveway or patio slab sink and develop cracks and gaps, it’s time to contact Pro Polyjacking for your concrete repair.
We’ve been offering concrete repair services, repairing residential and commercial concrete for over three decades. We’re a proud family-owned business that focuses on treating our customers like family and offering the best solution for your concrete repair. Contact us today to schedule your free assessment!