Why Does Concrete Crack & What Should You Do About It?

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Why Does Concrete Crack What Should You Do
About It?
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• Tripping up over cracks in your own driveway or
  your walkway, is no laughing matter, and when
  someone else trips over on them, it could have
  serious repercussions for you. But while it isnt
  uncommon for the concrete outside a property to
  shift over time and eventually crack, it can also
  crack inside your home and cause problems for the
  foundation, particularly if your home has been
  built on top of a concrete slab.
• Concrete cracks outside of the home are one
  thing, but cracks inside the home can go on to
  affect the very integrity of the structure, and
  should be assessed by a professional masonry
  contractor and repaired at the earliest.

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• Below are 3 common causes of concrete cracks
  requiring repairs
• 1. Shrinkage
• Concrete can shrink when drying, and when it
  does, it inevitably leaves a gap that can start
  off at 30cms, and which goes on to cause cracks.
  How often the cracks appear and what size they
  are is largely determined and offset by the
  number of steel reinforcements, and embedded
  structural joints.

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• 2. Deformations
• Even when concrete has dried completely, it is
  still susceptible to change, and during a 5 to 10
  year period following completion of a structure,
  elastic creep deformations can appear in the
  concrete. In some instances, such deformations
  have been known to reduce the height of buildings
  significantly, and cause irreversible changes on
  any number of floors within the structure. These
  changes should be accounted for during the
  initial construction, by adding horizontal
  control joints. But, if serious deformations take
  place, floors can start to crack which can then
  go on to affect the exterior brickwork.

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• 3. Temperature and moisture
• When temperatures fluctuate, concrete expands and
  contracts, and expansion joints should be used
  during construction to minimize the impact of
  this. However, these precautions arent always
  enough to prevent cracks from appearing during
  rapid seasonal changes, and the material will
  alter when exposed to moisture, too. When
  humidity levels are high, and when conditions are
  dry, huge variations in expansion and contraction
  can take place.

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• Why should you get cracked concrete repaired?
• There are a number of reasons why it makes sense
  to address cracked concrete as soon as it
  appears, and heres why
• To enhance your homes curb appeal
• Cracks in concrete around and inside your home
  look ugly, and are indicative of a property that
  hasnt been well cared for. If youre trying to
  sell your home, cracked concrete will deter many
  scrupulous buyers.

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• To prevent hazards
• Concrete surfaces that are uneven due to cracks
  are very unsafe, and not just for seniors or
  anyone with mobility issues. Fixing the cracks
  keeps everyone safe, and you out of trouble.
• To stop the problem from worsening
• The longer you wait to have your cracked concrete
  repaired by a local masonry contractor, the worse
  the problem will get, and the more expense it
  will cost you when you eventually do have it
  repaired.

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• To prevent problems in your home
• If there is an issue with your foundation and the
  concrete slab your home was built on is cracked,
  you might find it difficult to open or close
  doors and windows, and it can lead to cracking in
  other areas of your home.
• Concrete can, and often does crack, but its
  important not to ignore the issue when first
  spotted, and to seek guidance from a local
  masonry contractor immediately.

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• RZ Construction Group Inc is a fully inclusive
  general contractor and masonry contractor. From
  initial design to final clean up, our results
  speak for themselves. We are fully licensed,
  insured, and bonded to provide both commercial
  and residential construction services and kitchen
  renovation in Queens NY and the surrounding area.
  We also offer kitchen renovation in Astoria.
  Proud to serve New York State for 25 years. No
  job is too small nor too big. If you are looking
  for a concrete contractor in Queens NY or want to
  know more about our wide range of professional
  but affordable construction and repair services,
  reach out to us at [phone].