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Concrete Problem Signs

Warning Signs Your Concrete Is Settling in Alabama

Sinking driveways, uneven sidewalks, cracked slabs, and trip lips almost always trace to the same thing: soil moving beneath the concrete. Knowing the signs is the first step toward a level, safe surface.

Warning signs

Concrete warning signs, and what each one means

Each sign below explains what it indicates, what typically causes it in Alabama's soil, and how APS lifts, grinds, patches, or seals to fix it.

Broken Sidewalks on an Alabama home, photographed on an APS Foundation job site

Broken Sidewalks

Sidewalk panels are small and light, which makes them the first concrete on the property to move when soil shifts.

Broken Sidewalks
Cracked Concrete on an Alabama home, photographed on an APS Foundation job site

Cracked Concrete

A slab with solid bearing rarely cracks.

Cracked Concrete
Cracked Driveway on an Alabama home, photographed on an APS Foundation job site

Cracked Driveway

Driveways take the roof water, the yard runoff, and two tons of vehicle at a time.

Cracked Driveway
Cracked Garage Floor on an Alabama home, photographed on an APS Foundation job site

Cracked Garage Floor

Garage slabs sit on backfilled ground and carry the heaviest loads in the house.

Cracked Garage Floor

Tripping Hazards

A quarter inch offset this spring is a half inch by fall.

Tripping Hazards
Uneven Concrete Slabs on an Alabama home, photographed on an APS Foundation job site

Uneven Concrete Slabs

Concrete does not sink on its own.

Uneven Concrete Slabs
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Not every sign is an emergency, but none should be permanently ignored. The earlier concrete settlement is addressed, the simpler and less costly the fix. APS offers free, no-obligation assessments across Alabama and Columbus, GA.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Can sunken concrete be lifted instead of replaced?

In most cases, yes. Polyurethane foam injection lifts settled driveways, sidewalks, patios, pool decks, and garage floors back to level by filling the voids beneath them. It is faster and less expensive than tearing out and repouring, and the surface can usually be used the same day.

Why does concrete sink and crack so much in Alabama?

Alabama's expansive clay swells when wet and shrinks in drought, and heavy rain erodes the soil under slabs. Together they create the voids and movement that cause flatwork to settle, crack, and go uneven. The concrete itself is usually sound; the problem is the soil supporting it.

Does APS do mudjacking?

No. APS uses polyurethane foam injection rather than mudjacking. Foam is lightweight, hydrophobic, and fast-curing, so it does not add heavy slurry weight to the soil or wash out, and it cures quickly for same-day use.

Are uneven slabs and trip lips a liability?

They can be, especially on sidewalks and pool decks at a home or business. An uneven lip is a genuine trip-and-fall hazard. Leveling or grinding the concrete removes the hazard for far less than the cost of an injury claim.

When should I call APS about my concrete?

Call when a slab has sunk, when trip lips or gaps have opened, when water pools where it did not before, or when cracks are widening. A free APS assessment identifies whether the slab needs lifting, grinding, patching, or joint sealing.

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Four locations across Alabama & Georgia.

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Seeing any of these signs?

Schedule a free, no-obligation assessment

Our technicians find why the concrete moved, not just the symptom. Serving all of Alabama and Columbus, GA.

Schedule a Free Estimate or call (205) 882-7244
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