Floor Crack

Floor Crack

Sinking & Settling Concrete Floor Slab Repair in Greater Washington D.C.

diagram of a repaired concrete slab floor

Concrete slab piers can extend deep below the floor to reach competent supporting soils and permanently stabilize the floor.

Do you have a concrete slab floor that is showing signs of sinking, sagging, or settling? Are the walls separating from the floor below or ceiling above?

IF you have a problem like this in your home, you could have a sinking or settling concrete floor slab. This problem can lead to cracks in floors and walls, uneven surfaces, and a weakened foundation.

Luckily, the foundation repair experts at NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair can help you solve this problem permanently! We provide complete foundation repair solutions in Alexandria, Washington D.C., Arlington and nearby areas in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland. Call us today to get a free estimate.

Signs of slab settlement

When a floor slab settles, the damage can manifest itself in many ways. Along with cracks in the concrete, the floors can separate from the walls as they sink downwards. Alternatively, the interior wall may be pulled down with the floor, instead separating from the ceiling. Walls can also pull away from other walls, and interior wall cracks can form -- commonly off the corners of interior doors.

(Click each photo to enlarge.)

Slab floor cracks showing in a Chantilly home Large slab floor cracks in a Potomac home A floor slab separating from the wall in a Bowie home. A partition wall separating from the floor in a Rockville home.
a sinking floor leaving a large gap between the wall and floor in a Centreville home The ceiling and wall separating as the wall sinks with the slab floor in a Germantown home partition walls being pulled away from the foundation walls in a Woodbridge home. wall cracks along a doorway in a Derwood home.

What causes a concrete floor slab to settle?

When a concrete floor settles, it can mean serious damage to your home. The causes of floor slab settlement are almost always due to the soils underneath being unable to support the weight of the concrete. They often accompany other foundation problems in your home.

The three most common causes of settling concrete floor slabs are as follows:

(Click for more information.)

Dry, cracking clay soils

Drying/Shrinking Of Soils Under The Slab

soil erosion

Washout Of Soil Underneath The Slab

A backhoe excavating a foundation

Poor Compaction Of Foundation Fill Soils

Ways to repair floor cracks

Supportworks dealers have many tools at their disposal to reverse concrete slab settlement and restore the good condition of concrete floors. Here are the many ways NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair might choose to resolve your floor crack:

Looking for foundation slab repair contractors In VA, D.C., and MD?

At NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, we provide proven solutions for concrete slab floor leveling -- as well as other foundation repair solutions -- to homeowners throughout Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland. We provide each of our customers with a free, no obligation slab repair quote, in writing, before any work is done. To schedule your appointment, call or e-mail us today!

We proudly offer all our foundation repair services in Arlington, Alexandria, Washington D.C., Sterling, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Ashburn, Fairfax, Silver Spring, Gainesville and throughout the surrounding areas.

Drying & Shrinking of the Soil Under the Slab

HVAC (Heating, Venting, and Air Conditioning) systems may be installed beneath the floor slab. Over time, the ductwork can leak air, which can dry out the soil.

As the soil dries and shrinks, gaps form under the floor slab, creating voids. Because the soil no longer supports the floor slab, the floor begins to crack and sink into the voids.

street creep symptoms in a driveway in Manassas

Washout of Soil Under the Slab

This is usually caused by plumbing leaks. If the plumbing leak is severe and there is a path for the water to flow through, it can wash soil out from under the slab.

With a void underneath the floor, there's nothing supporting the concrete slab anymore. In time, it begins to crack and sink downwards.

garage walls cracking due to street creep

Poor Compaction of Fill Soil

During construction of a new home, layers of soil are commonly moved around or spread out to get to the desired grade level. When the home is built, footings may be deepened to extend below weak fill soils and avoid a foundation settlement issue.

The slab, however, remains on the fill soils. If the fill was poorly compacted, the fill soil compresses and settles, and a void is formed under the slab. In time, the slab cracks, breaks, and settles into the void.

foundation wall cracks due to street creep in Manassas

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NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair services Greater Washington D.C.

Our Service Area Proudly Serving Northern Virginia, D.C., and Suburban Maryland

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We serve the following areas

Virginia
  • Amissville
  • Aroda
  • Banco
  • Barboursville
  • Bentonville
  • Berryville
  • Bluemont
  • Boston
  • Boyce
  • Brightwood
  • Brucetown
  • Castleton
  • Chester Gap
  • Clear Brook
  • Cross Junction
  • Delaplane
  • Dulles
  • Etlan
  • Flint Hill
  • Front Royal
  • Gore
  • Haywood
  • Hood
  • Hume
  • Huntly
  • Leon
  • Linden
  • Madison
  • Markham
  • Millwood
  • Oakpark
  • Orlean
  • Paris
  • Pratts
  • Radiant
  • Reva
  • Rochelle
  • Sperryville
  • Star Tannery
  • Stephens City
  • Stephenson
  • Syria
  • Upperville
  • Viewtown
  • White Post
  • Winchester
  • Wolftown
  • Woodville
Maryland
  • Middletown
District of Columbia Our Locations:

NV Waterproofing & Foundation Repair
12200 Livingston Rd
Manassas, VA 20109
1-703-722-8580
Service Area
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