With winter coming, it is more important than ever to make sure all of the concrete at your home is in a good state of repair. After all, you don’t want someone to fall and hurt themselves because your concrete steps or sidewalk is in bad shape. Not only is it a liability, but it is a preventable accident that doesn’t have to happen. And if your concrete sidewalk is sloping toward your house, that could also give melting snow and ice a clear path to your home’s foundation, which could then lead to problems like flooding and cracks to your home’s foundation. Wohlwend Concrete specializes in residential concrete in Golden Valley and the surrounding areas, and we can think of several types of common repairs we do to residential concrete this time of year.
Repairs to residential concrete this time of year range from smaller ones, like repairing cracks in the concrete using sealer. We can also help with bigger problems, like gaps between where your residential concrete meets brick or a similar type of material. These gaps should be sealed so no one inadvertently steps in them and gets a foot stuck (depending on how big the seam is) or simply trips where the concrete should be but is missing. This is especially important if there is already ice on the concrete, which presents a slipping hazard in and of itself.
If your residential concrete steps or sidewalk is in really bad shape, you should call us as soon as possible to get them fully replaced. You don’t want to be walking in or out of your home this winter, step on them and have them give away, especially if the weather outside is particularly snowy and cold. And you definitely don’t want a family member or anyone else to fall and hurt themselves on your concrete steps or sidewalk either.
Even if your residential concrete sidewalks or steps are still in good shape, keep in mind that you should never use de-icer that contains salt on them. A de-icer like that will cause the ice to melt, but the water can get into your concrete seams and then refreeze. The expanding and contracting water can cause your concrete to crack and break, which could then present a new hazard during the winter or the following spring.
If you would like more information on residential concrete in Golden Valley, call Wohlwend Concrete at 651-426-2610 or contact us to set up a Free Estimate.