If you have noticed that your driveway seems flimsy and weak, it’s time for a concrete driveway lift. However, you will find that concrete driveways are not perfect.
Concrete driveways are always a serious concern to homeowners. They undergo a lot of traffic and can easily sustain even the most extreme weather conditions. Here’s what we’ll expose on why your concrete driveway is lifting!
Why Is My Concrete Driveway Lifting?
Your driveway is lifting due to a combination of poor soil condition, water intrusion, and tree burrowing. Concrete will be challenging to settle once the soil becomes too rough or compacted. Water damage from heavy storms and flooding has a significant effect. Finally, it’s a red flag if you notice roots emerging from the ground!
Let’s get to the details about why your concrete driveway is lifting from the ground, so keep reading!
1. Poor Soil Condition
If you have a soil condition that is too wet, it will cause your concrete to lift. Likewise, when you have a soil condition that is too dry, it will contribute to the issue too.
Further, the type of soil that forms under your driveway dramatically impacts how much weight you can safely place on it.
With that, as you are probably already aware, the soil beneath your concrete driveway is significant to its longevity and strength.
Generally, your yard’s soil should be firm and well-drained, but the concrete may lift if it’s too damp or compacted.
2. Water Intrusion
Water intrusion occurs when the ground around your house is saturated with water, causing the soil to expand.
With that, the first thing to check if your concrete driveway has lifted is whether any cracks in your driveway allow water to enter.
Additionally, it can be caused by rainwater that gets trapped between the layers of your concrete.
For that reason, if you have a crack or hole near where the concrete meets the ground, this can be enough for water to seep in and cause your driveway to lift.
3. Trees Burrowing
Trees tend to grow, and there’s not much you can do to make sure the roots don’t interfere with the driveway.
As well as that, if this happens often enough, then you should consider replacing your driveway with one that doesn’t have trees growing near it.
On the other hand, tree roots with sufficient strength will be able to force the concrete higher over several months.
Therefore, if you have trees growing in your yard, they will contribute to pulling on the concrete.
4. Poor Asphalt Mixture
Asphalt is a material that is used to make roads and parking lots, consisting of small pieces of stones, sand, and gravel.
Additionally, applying an asphalt mixture to your driveway will become stronger over time as the mixture hardens and becomes more durable.
However, using an incorrect or poor-quality asphalt mixture can cause your concrete driveway to lift instead of out-lasting its lifespan.
As a consequence, poor asphalt blend can cause your concrete driveway to lift.
5. Seismic Shift
A seismic shift can be caused by various factors, including earthquakes or landslides.
In some cases, it could be caused by a tsunami, or the ground settling could be due to heavy rainfall or snow melt.
Additionally, the main goal of seismic shift is to cause your driveway to lift so that it can be removed from its original position and replaced with new foundations.
Above all, during a seismic shift, it causes the ground to expand at once, causing a driveway to lift off its foundation just like they were when they were first installed.
6. Extreme Humidity Level
Concrete driveways are designed to withstand the stresses of everyday use, but a severe weather event or a sudden rise in humidity can cause your driveway to lift.
Due to this, it’s essential to know how to repair your driveway so you can keep using your property without worrying about it falling apart on you.
Besides that, the best way to prevent your concrete driveway from lifting is by keeping it maintained.
Without a doubt, you need to ensure the driveway’s surface is free of extreme humidity levels that could cause water to seep into the cracks of your driveway and freeze over time!
7. Misplaced Slabs
Sometimes, your concrete driveway is lifting because you have slabs that are placed incorrectly.
However, if you don’t know how to place a slab on your driveway correctly, it can cause structural damage to the slab and possibly cause it to lift.
If you have misplaced slabs on your concrete driveway, this can cause the concrete to lift up and away from where it should be.
As an effect, it can cause cracks in the slab, allowing water to get underneath it, causing even more damage.
8. Puddles On Surfaces
Puddles form when leaks in the pipes, drains, or downspouts lead water away from the area where you want it to go.
Further, it can be caused by rain that washes away some of the top layers of the soil underneath your driveway and then evaporates into the air before it hits the ground.
That being so, the water freezes and forms a small ice patch on your concrete driveway.
So, when puddles form on your concrete driveway, they will usually cause a slight lift in the ground’s surface!
9. Uneven Grounds
Concrete driveways are often uneven, and that can cause your driveway to lift. Also, if the ground is not level, it will be harder for the concrete to hold itself.
As such, bumpy grounds are most common when you have a slope or hill in your yard.
That said, this can cause the weight of the car and any other objects on the driveway to wear down the slab’s edges over time.
For that reason, you might have installed your driveway on an incline, or the soil beneath your driveway may not be level across the surface.
Either way, it may result in your driveway lifting off the ground and cause cracks or weaknesses throughout the surface of the drive entrance.
To know more, you can also read our posts on why your driveway is always wet, why your driveway is cracking, and why your driveway is sinking.
Conclusion
Concrete is a reliable and practical building material. Nowadays, concrete can be colored and shaped to imitate more pricey stones.
Poor soil quality, water infiltration, and tree burrowing are potential factors that could cause your concrete to lift.
Ultimately, if you want your concrete to maintain its excellent appearance and withstand years of use, keep an eye out for lifting and shifting!