Additional Reading

Deep Foam Injection

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 15:05:24 GMT

FINALLY LET'S TALK - DEEP FOAMJECTION

The marketplace, our customers, and the team here at Concrete Lifting Technologies have long awaited the introduction of products to solve the root cause problem of sunken concrete and structures. Deep foam injection is the perfect compliment and natural extension of a polyurethane concrete lifting business. Until now patent restrictions have limited our offering but now we are ready to make you ready to offer this service.

WHAT IS DEEP FOAMJECTION™?

The process of injecting polyurethane foam into various layers of soil and substrata below the level of a concrete slab or structure is not new. Terms like Deep Injection have historically described the process of injecting the liquid mix of Part A & Part B polyurethane below the surface to bind soils and increase compaction to strengthen the environment. Even before foams were used the compaction grouting process was applied where various grouts were injected to affect the same result. Deep Foamjection is the Concrete Lifting Technologies Brand for all the equipment and foams to perform this service.

WHAT IS THE REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEEP FOAMJECTION & POLYURETHANE CONCRETE LIFTING?

The difference between Deep Foamjection and basic polyurethane concrete lifting is the depth of the injection. Specialized equipment and material are required that compliment current systems.

Over its near-decade experience Concrete Lifting Technologies has always said “what we raise is only as good as the soil underneath it.” Now, with Deep Foamjection equipment and material is available to solve that problem as well, irrespective of how old the concrete is or the depth of the unstable substrata.

DO I HAVE TO ADD DEEP FOAMJECTION™ TO MY POLYURETHANE CONCRETE LIFTING SYSTEM?

Mudjacking and Polyurethane Concrete Lifting businesses will remain as viable, in demand and profitable as they always have without the introduction of Deep Foamjection. Deep Foamjection is an added service which avails contractors to new and different projects and market segments.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU INJECT FOAM AT VARIOUS DEPTHS BELOW CONCRETE AND STRUCTURES?

Installed as a liquid, the foam saturates into the soil and travels the path of least resistance until it is fully expanded. Much like a man made root system; installed foam will exponentially improve the weight bearing capacity of the subgrade and bind it together.

WILL DEEP FOAMJECTION™ LIFT CONCRETE SLABS AND STRUCTURES?

The primary objective of Deep Foamjection is to stabilize subgrade by binding soils and adding strength. When applied correctly, enough foam can be installed to lift slabs and structures. How much foam, where, and at what depth will depend greatly on the project. These factors will also determine what type of assistance or design you may need from an engineer. Standard practices can be applied; however an engineer will take into consideration the project objectives, the weight and construction of the slab or structure and suggest your point layout, depths and estimated quantities of foam. Much like foundation piering, an engineer is often required to determine the weight of the structure, why and where the soil failed. Engineering provides assurances as to material to be added so that it will bring the structure back up and continue to carry the load.

DO I ALWAYS NEED ENGINEERING SUPPORT TO OFFER DEEP FOAMJECTION™?

Many projects will not require the aid of an engineer, specifically in the case of slabs and small structures. This is always up to the discretion of the contractor. Always remember the obvious, every slab you lift could use more support.

I THOUGHT DEEP INJECTION WOULD ALLOW ME TO RAISE BIG BUILDINGS?

Deep Foamjection will allow you to raise structures. However, the greater the scale, and weight the greater the complexity. In order to bring a structure back into place you need to apply enough pressure in the right places. Often the exact amount of pressure will be difficult to achieve in one point for structures. As with foundation repair, piers are installed with engineer guidance and pressure is applied at multiple points simultaneously to insure control without damage and to safely lift the structure back into place. The same holds true for Deep Foamjection. To build the pressures necessary and control the lift, multiple points may be needed to be injected into simultaneously. Depending on how settled the structure is, it may be more cost effective to install foam to prevent further future settlement and then complete cosmetic repairs caused by the initial settlement.

Reminder: the primary objective is to fix what has failed, that is the soil under the slab or structure. That is a business in itself. As with all HMI opportunities, how you approach Deep Foamjection in your business will be your decision; large or small.

WHAT IS SPECIAL AND DIFFERENT ABOUT THE CONCRETRE LIFTING TECHNOLOGIES DEEP FOAMJECTION™ OFFERING?

Significant planning has been underway for years to insure HMI customers can take advantage of the unique market opportunities of deep injection. Historic developments in your current system were introduced in anticipation of the opportunity. HMI”S offering is and will be different because of:

The EliteOne Gun – The EliteONE gives you the ability to have more control. Deep injection has been traditionally installed with the GX7 gun. Foam could only be injected into a pipe once and any significant pause to allow foam to expand would clog the pipe and not allow any more injections. To inject more foam would require another point at a different depth. The EliteONE gun purges air through the pipe to allow for subsequent injections after the foam has expanded.
FOAM – Concrete Lifting Technologies has unique foam specifically for the Deep Foamjection application. This material is hydro insensitive ( HydroFOAM ). This means that it will still react into great foam even if there is water present. The foam was developed without dangerous gases that many other hydro insensitive foams utilize.
SPECIAL QUICK CONNECT PIPES – A variety of injection pipes and accessories are available to allow you to be productive and profitable while injecting foam deeper to meet project objectives.

Covid 19 Friendly Contracting

concreteliftingtechnologies@gmail.com (David Hare) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 15:39:14 GMT

Concrete Repair – A Social Distancing Compliant Service

• Concrete repair work is outside work where prospects were not in any way threatened by a contractor visit.

• With “stay at home directives” property owner are looking to accomplish “SOMETHING” beyond watching the same movies or spending too many hours on social media. Any inside the house repairs or improvements were out of the question.

• The Concrete Lifting Technologies estimating, scheduling, and invoicing processes do not require face to face interaction with the customer. In reality most customers are usually not at home when we give estimates or do the work. These facts allowed us to immediately conform to social distancing recommendations.

Concrete repair contracting, the Concrete Lifting Technologies way, is positioned to be successful in our current environment and will allow you to be successful no matter how long the current restrictions and recommendations last.

Concrete repair is Covid 19 Friendly Contracting.

Polyurethane Vs Mudjacking

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 08:06:51 GMT

Polyurethane Vs Mudjacking

Hole Size

Polyurethane concrete raising drills a nearly invisible 5/8” hole and the procvess calls for considerably fewer holes than traditional mudjacking.

Mudjacking involves drilling a series of 1 inch holes in a slab of concrete, so the material can be pumped under the settled slab. Some mudjacking companies drill even bigger holes, up to 2 inches .

Weight

Polyurethane concrete raising uses a foam material that is injected under the slab. When the components of this material are mixed, a reaction caused the material to expand. This expanded foam fills any voids beneath the slab and raises the concrete. This material will never lose density, is permanent and weighs only about 2 lbs per cubic foot.

Mudjacking uses a sand based material that is infused with Portland cement., This slurry is hydraulically pumped under the slab to fill voids and raise the concrete. Mudjacking material weighs on average 100 lbs per cubic foot.

Why Does Concrete Settle?

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 08:05:42 GMT

Why Does Concrete Settle?

Poor Soil Condition

Clay-rich soils are ‘elastic.’ They expand and contract with moisture content. As soils become saturated with water, the clay expands and loses strength. This condition allows slabs to sink just like standing in wet mud. This can occur from heavy rains, melting snow or plumbing leaks.

Poor Compaction

Many homes are built on back filled soils. If the soil is not compacted correctly, backfill will slowly and unevenly compact, sometimes over a period of a year, allowing slabs to settle.

Tree Roots

Trees and large shrubs can consume up to 30 gallons of water a day, if located near concrete, the loss of water in the soil will make the soil contract and can cause the slabs to settle.

Poor Drainage

Improper drainage can cause soil instability by creating areas of saturated soils allowing the slabs to settle. Poor drainage can be typical to the area, or as minor as a misplaced down spout.

Steps to Raising Your Concrete

Injection holes are strategically drilled around the areas where the concrete is sunken and requires lifting.
Once everything is prepped and the hose and materials are in place, the polyurethane foam is injected through the holes. This fills the space underneath the concrete slab and using the foams expansive forces lifts the concrete back to its original and correct level.
Upon completion of leveling the concrete, the injection holes are filled discretely with new cement, allowing you to use the surface almost immediately.

Summary:

Polyurethane concrete raising uses a foam material that is injected under the slab. When the components of this material are mixed, a reaction causes the material to expand. This expanded foam fills any voids beneath the slab and raises concrete. This material will never lose density, is permanent and weighs only about 2 lbs per cubic foot.

We Only Use The Best Foam

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 08:03:37 GMT

We Only Use The Best Foam

How is Concrete Lifting Technologies different?

Concrete Lifting Technologies uses polyurethane foam from recycled material. There are many reasons why Concrete Lifting Technologies polyurethane foam material is different from the rest – but one of the main reasons is that their poly is made from over 40% recycled materials. That’s pretty impressive considering there is absolutely no other poly material on the market that offers this type of reduced carbon footprint!

We care about our environment and using green materials that are manufactured in the U.S.A. At Concrete Lifting Technologies, “green” is more than just a buzzword, it’s an active approach towards creating a more positive impact on the environment and our daily lives.

Concrete Lifting Technologies does not use toxic chemicals. Major toxic chemicals, often associated with some types of polyurethanes, such as some blowing agents, formaldehyde, benzene and tolune are NOT used in Concrete Lifting Technologies foams. Most of what is warned against on the Internet pertains to these chemicals.

Benefits of Polyurethane Foam

Cost Effective:

Concrete raising is typically about half the cost of replacing the same concrete. Ultimately, the cost of raising or stabilizing concrete is a direct reflection of how much leveling the material the project will require.

Time:

Ready to use immediately! You can drive on, walk on, and play on the same day!

Clean Work Environment:

No concrete or grout splatter and no wash down needed.

No Landscape Disruption:

No heavy equipment will drive through your lawn and disrupt your landscape.

Smaller Holes:

Polyurethane concrete raising drills a nearly invisible 5/8 inch hole and the process calls for considerably fewer holes than traditional mudjacking; Minimal patchwork needed.

Lightweight:

This material will never lose density, is permanent and weighs only about 2 lbs. per cubic foot. Compared to traditional mudjacking material – which weighs on average 100 lbs per cubic foot – it’s a dramatic difference.

Green:

Concrete Lifting Technologies poly foam is a top-of-the-line eco friendly material. Every time concrete is raised, we are saving concrete slabs from landfills by raising versus replacing!

Deep Foamjection is the process of installing foam deeper to increase the load bearing capacity of the soils.

•    An upgrade to sub-surface concrete lifting
•    Repair unstable soils
•    Installing a stronger foundation to support slabs and structures that settled\
•    Foam follows the path of least resistance and will fill weak areas
•    Fills fissures and ground voids
•    Fills voids holding water and displaces collected water
•    Increase load bearing capacity of subgrade
•    Permanent repair, foam never changes shape or absorbs ground water
•    Foam soaks into the weak soils and then expands, binding the soil and making it solid
•    Does not leach chemicals into the ground

Spot Concrete Problems Before They Get Serious

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 07:59:54 GMT

Spot Concrete Problems Before They Get Serious

Concrete problems can came out of nowhere after a big rainstorm but usually a concrete problem is an underlying issue that happens slowly over time. We’re here to help alert you to some of the most telling signs you may have a concrete issue in its early stages. We’ll also help find a solution before the problem escalates.

Cracks and Crumbling – Concrete is one of the strongest building materials in the world – any significant wear and tear is serious cause for concern. Cracks and crumbling could be superficial and simply the sign of a weathering. However, it could also indicate a more serious underlying problem: the lack of foundational stability. IF the soil is eroding beneath the slab, cracks and crumbling could only be the beginning of the issue. Sinking and shifting could be next, so make sure you get a full assessment of the slab.

Pooling Water – This means there is likely sinking or shifting beneath that is causing the concrete to hold precipitation and impede drainage. Since concrete is a porous material, it’s best to not have standing water on it for long periods, so raising the slab surface to facilitate damage might help.

Porches or Patios Pull Away From Foundation – When you see your front stairs or your back patio begin to pull away from the foundation, it’s probably no the foundation that is moving – it’s the concrete base of your steps or patio. This signifies a lack of support beneath and that the soil is shifted or eroded, so it’s imperative to lift and stabilize the slab before it causes further damage.

It Only Gets Worse, Unless You Take Action – Maybe you noticed a trend – we keep warning you against waiting and encourage you to act right away. That’s due to the fact that sinking concrete doesn’t get better on its own. If you trust us to make repairs now, you may be able to avoid the replacing the structure down the road.