old concrete building

Tips to Maintain Your Concrete

There is nothing eternal, each building structure deforms over time as a result of mechanical influences and the influence of the natural environment. Concrete is a durable building material that is made on the basis of cement and is also susceptible to destruction. Therefore, many private developers are interested in what to do if concrete crumbles and how to maintain concrete.

 

The Main Causes of Destruction

The main factors of deformation of concrete structures:

 

  1.   Moisture that gets into the voids of the building material. Every person from school physics lessons knows that water can take 3 states: steam, liquid, ice. After freezing, water crystallizes and expands. Accordingly, water trapped in the voids of the structure expands in winter and destroys it.

 

  1.   Sharp changes in ambient temperatures.

 

  1.   If in the process of pouring a poor-quality building mixture was used, the composition of which did not comply with building codes.

 

  1.   For the mobility of the cement slurry in the process of its manufacture, additional water was added, and no special additives were used.

 

  1.   Structures at the stage of hardening and curing of the solution are not provided with proper care. In order for the solution to acquire the required level of strength, it must set gradually over several days. To do this, in hot weather, the flooded foundation is sprayed with water and covered with a film, in winter it is heated with special devices (mats, electric cables).

 

How to Maintain Concrete and Prevent it From Crumbling  

Recommendations of concrete repair contractor Rockwall Tx for maintaining concrete and for the prevention of crumbling of concrete structures:

 

  1.   When preparing the building mixture on your own, it is necessary to additionally use water-repellent additives. To ensure the homogeneity of the mixture, increase the strength, it is necessary to add plasticizers.

 

  1.   It is recommended to treat the already poured foundation with a hydrophobic compound.

 

  1.   If the concrete structure is constantly exposed to moisture, it must be impregnated with a water-repellent agent under high pressure. To do this, you need to use special equipment.

 

The concrete surface must be maintained. It is not recommended to put into operation concrete structures earlier than the set time. The setting period of the cement slurry is 28 days. During this time, concrete is gaining strength characteristics.