Critters and Concrete: Animal Infestation
Could Critters be Creating Voids Under Your Concrete?
Photo to right by Jared Belson.
Finally! Across the US we are starting to see some temperatures more indicative of Spring. It’s been a long time coming in many parts of the country. All it takes is a few days of warmer weather and the critters start to come out of the woodwork. While it is great to see the birds singing and the wildlife coming out as a sign of spring, ground squirrels and other animals could be digging in your yard and under your sidewalks, patio, stairs, steps, or driveway. This animal infestation can create voids and cause the slab to settle and crack. Examples of animals that burrow include rabbits, ants, otters, chipmunks (ground squirrels), foxes, moles, and shrews.
What Can You do About Animal Infestation?
Contact pest control: Each type of critter needs to be handled in different ways. If you have questions about the type of animal digging up your yard it is best to get advice from a professional. Otherwise, you will just continue to have the problem year to year.
Contact a concrete specialist in your area: Our network of foundation repair companies also includes a large number of concrete experts. They can use tools such as ground-penetrating radar to detect voids. Earth Contact Products has a product called PolyPier that many of our contractors utilize for raising and leveling concrete slabs. Polyurethane is injected beneath the slab and pumped into the void to fill the void and raise the concrete back to the correct position. PolyPier uses NCFI polyurethanes that are tested and proven to provide a permanent solution for void filling and concrete repair.
To see if a contractor near you has the ability to repair your sinking concrete, contact us today at 888-611-1527. We have a nationwide network of contractors that specialize in foundation repair, waterproofing, crawl space repair, and concrete leveling. If you are a homeowner, they offer free estimates for repairs and can help diagnose if the problems you are seeing could be related to an animal infestation.