What happens under and around a slab decides how long it lasts. In Sioux Falls that means water in clay soil, and what frost does to it.
Do I need to worry about drainage?
Yes. Drainage is the main thing that separates a slab that lasts from one that heaves. Water that sits under or beside concrete freezes, lifts it and softens the soil when it thaws. Every slab should slope so water runs off, usually about a quarter inch per foot away from buildings. Downspouts and sump pump lines should empty past the concrete, not onto it.
My patio or driveway slopes toward the house. How bad is that?
It needs fixing. A slab that slopes toward the house sends rain and snowmelt to the foundation, and most homes here have basements. The usual cause is backfill that settled along the wall. If the slab is in good shape it can often be lifted back to the right slope. Otherwise the panels next to the house are replaced. In the meantime, seal the joint at the wall and extend the downspouts.
Can tree roots crack or lift concrete?
Yes. Tree roots grow thicker each year and lift whatever is above them. Silver maples, cottonwoods and other fast-growing trees common on older Sioux Falls boulevards are frequent causes of raised sidewalk panels. Roots follow moisture, and the soil under a slab stays damp, so they often run right along the underside.
Can I fix the concrete and keep the tree?
Often you can keep the tree. Options are grinding a raised lip, replacing the panel with a slight ramp over the root, curving a walk away from the trunk, or using pavers near the tree. Cutting large roots close to the trunk risks killing the tree or making it unstable in wind. Boulevard trees between the sidewalk and street are under city control, so ask the city forestry office before any root is cut there.
My neighbor's new concrete sends runoff onto my property. What can I do?
Start by talking and showing them where the water goes. Runoff problems can often be solved with a downspout extension, a small swale or a drain at the edge of the slab. If that fails, ask the city whether the work had the permits it needed and whether it changed the approved lot drainage. Beyond that it becomes a legal question between neighbors, and a lawyer can advise you.
Does clay or soft soil change the job?
Yes. Much of the Sioux Falls area sits on clay and glacial till. Clay holds water, swells, softens when wet and heaves when it freezes. The answer is to dig out soft and organic soil, put down a thicker layer of compacted granular base and keep water moving away. Where quartzite rock is close to the surface, digging is harder and water does not soak in, so surface drainage matters even more.
My gravel driveway turns to mud every spring. Should I pave it?
A gravel driveway turns to mud here when frost leaves the ground and the clay below is saturated. Concrete solves it for good if the soft soil is dug out and a real base is built first. On a long acreage drive, many owners pave the part by the house and garage and rebuild the rest with fabric and fresh gravel. Pouring over spring mud without fixing the base wastes the concrete.
My patio was poured over an uncompacted trench and it settled. Can it be saved?
Usually. A trench for a water line, sewer, gas line or egress window that was filled loose will settle for years, and the slab over it cracks along both edges of the trench. If the fill has finished settling, the dropped section can be lifted or cut out and re-poured. A new slab over a recent trench should have the fill compacted in layers, and extra steel across it.
I am in a flood-prone area. Should the patio or slab be raised?
In a flood-prone area, check the rules before adding fill or raising anything. Low ground along the Big Sioux River and Skunk Creek is mapped floodplain in places, and placing fill or building there can need floodplain review by the city or county. A flat patio at grade is rarely an issue. A raised slab or a building slab is. Outside mapped areas, a slab set slightly above the yard with a good slope stays drier.
Where should my sump pump and downspouts discharge?
Away from all concrete. A sump line that empties onto a driveway or walk makes an ice sheet all winter and feeds frost heave under the slab. Run it to the yard, well past the slab edge. Cities often have their own rules on sump discharge to the street or sewer, so check before you connect anything.
The only real price for your property comes from a free on-site estimate and a written quote. Call (605) 633-5029 or text us a photo of the concrete.