“Concrete spalling” is, essentially, the breakdown and degradation of concrete due to a variety of reasons, from a natural weathering process to specific chemical reactions. Spalling, which is just another word for breaking concrete into smaller pieces, is one of the most dangerous issues that can affect your concrete foundation since this is the part of your house that supports the weight of the entire construction.
It’s safe to say that concrete is one of the most common materials used in construction in North America, particularly in home foundations. It’s a strong, versatile material that can last generations when properly cared for. But, just like untreated wood can eventually rot, so can concrete fall to the threat of spalling, and that’s something you do not want to happen to your foundation.
What Is Foundation Spalling?
Concrete spalling is a common issue caused by freeze-thaw cycles. This can happen to your foundation when a foreign element (usually water, but some chemicals can cause it as well) filters into the structure and causes chunks, big and small, to crumble and fall off. The fallen or spalled concrete, in turn, exposes the untreated surface and rebar of your foundation, causing further damage that spreads quickly.
How Does Concrete Spalling Affect Your Foundation?
As we mentioned, one of the most common causes of foundation spalling is water, and this happens when the excess water or humidity surrounding your home infiltrates the concrete. How does water even reach the inside of a concrete foundation? Either through tiny capillaries and pores, which are common in pretty much all concrete structures, or worse yet, through cracks that have formed on the foundation’s surface as a result of damage.
Once the water has infiltrated your concrete foundation, the spalling will cause smaller chunks or large sections to shift independently from the rest of the foundation, and they can even detach completely if the problem is left unchecked. In other words, you do not want to deal with foundation spalling!
Common Causes Of Foundation Spalling
By now, you have learned what concrete spalling is and how it can affect your foundation. But what are the causes of concrete spalling? As we mentioned elsewhere in the article, water is the most common cause of foundation spalling, but it’s definitely not the only one. Here are some other causes that you should look out for:
1. Poor Quality Concrete
It is true that concrete can last for decades when properly cared for, but you first need the concrete itself to have been manufactured properly and mixed with high-quality cement using the proper ratios. In other words, if the concrete is of low quality, your expectations of it should be equally low. It goes without saying that you do not want your foundation to be made out of poor-quality concrete since this increases the risk of foundation spalling.
2. Rebar Corrosion Or Oxidation
Rebars are used in concrete foundations to reinforce their strength. While meant to act as a supporting agent for the foundation, rebar can also, in an ironic twist of fate, be the element that can destroy it from within. See, if you have water infiltration in your foundation, even when it doesn’t damage it directly, it can cause rebar to rust and expand. Expanding rebar will generate an outward force that, paired with the inward force that the foundation is already dealing with, stresses the already-stressed concrete beyond its limits and causes it to fracture.
3. Improper Curing Or Finishing
Concrete curing is the process of keeping adequate moisture levels within the right temperature range. It is one of the early stages of working with concrete, and it’s important to do it correctly because hydration activates a chemical reaction in tandem with the cement that helps the concrete settle and harden. What happens if the concrete is not properly cured? Proper curing is essential to strength and durability of concrete so inadequate curing increases the chances of cracking and other defects appearing on the concrete surface. Cracks, as you know, make it easier for water to infiltrate your foundation, which can lead to spalling concrete or spalling of the concrete cover.
BONUS: Deicing salts lower the freezing point of water, increasing the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles and likelihood of concrete spalling. Not to mention, they also corrosive to concrete and exacerbate spalling further.
How To Identify Concrete Spalling In Your Foundation
Most of the time, a cursory visual inspection can be enough to identify if your foundation is suffering from concrete spalling. You’re not only searching for cracks on the surface but actual flaking or chipping of the concrete or areas where the surface looks like it has pitted acne scars.
Another common sign of concrete spalling is the formation of white staining or discoloration on the surface of your foundation. This staining, called efflorescence, is caused by the salts within the concrete coming to the surface as a result of evaporation (there’s water messing with your foundation again).
If, for some reason, you’re still not sure that you’re dealing with foundation spalling, you can feel the texture of the concrete. Spalled areas in the concrete will often have a rough and uneven texture where flaking or chipping will soon occur.
How To Fix Concrete Spalling
Like many other problems that can affect a concrete foundation, spalling is usually best left to foundation specialists and experts to fix. Concrete spalling can be both difficult and potentially dangerous when approached as a DIY concrete repair project, and you run the risk of making the problem even bigger. Instead choose to rely on the pros to correctly assess and address the issue.
What are some common fixes for concrete spalling?
Penetrating Sealant
The cheaper option is using a penetrating sealer that will slow the spalling by infiltrating the capillaries and pores in your concrete, just like the offending water did in the first place. By binding the concrete anew, you can slow down spalling. But “slowing down” the problem is not precisely fixed, so you might have to take new measures sooner rather than later.
Concrete Slab Replacement
Removing the areas of the foundation affected by spalling and replacing them with a new concrete pour is one of the most effective solutions. The ease of the removal itself will depend on how advanced the spalling is and if the structural integrity of the house as a whole is still good.
Call The Foundation Experts To Stop Concrete Spalling In Your Home
When it comes to spalling, we recommend that you don’t hesitate to have one of our experts at Xpert Foundation Repair inspect your home. We have an experienced and professional team that can tell if your foundation is failing and what the best course of action is to save it. Schedule an inspection today!
