CONTACT US
Walser Contracting Ltd.
Concrete Cutting & Coring Services
15C Alberta Ave, PO Box 3816,
Spruce Grove, AB T7X 3B1
Monday to Friday: 6:30am to 4:00
Call: 780-721-3405
Email: walserltd@gmail.com
WINTER GUIDE FOR EDMONTON CONCRETE
The last thing we think about when winter arrives in Edmonton is, what is going to happen to my concrete? Here is a quick winter guide to Edmonton Concrete.
Concrete has a very high compressive strength which is what makes it so durable. That means when you drive your car across a concrete pad you have no worries about it cracking.
Concrete has a low tensile strength however which means it is susceptible to internal pressures. Water freezing and expanding is what causes the majority of concrete problems. Water in concrete cracks is a sure-fire way to cause concrete damage. This can include; concrete scaling, D-Cracking, air entrapment and cracking.
Concrete is expensive to replace so let’s talk about what you can do to maintain or prevent concrete failure.
Here is a technical article about the specifics of water and concrete in the Freeze – Thaw Cycle.
4 TIPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR CONCRETE THROUGH WINTER
- Hire the right contractor from the start. Alberta has a very specific climate and the right concrete mixture can go a long way to preventing cracking from the start. Find someone with experience, good reviews and who knows the local climate and can give you good references. Concrete isn’t going anywhere so it is pretty easy to find examples of their work. If you have a big job such as Industrial Concrete in Edmonton you should take a look at a company’s older work. Odds are your concrete will look the same in a number of years.
- Remove damaged concrete before winter. Concrete is going to wear. It will eventually crack. If you repair your concrete or replace a small portion through Concrete Cutting you will save the rest and save yourself a lot of money! Concrete demolition is expensive and time consuming and damaged concrete is a liability for the concrete that is around it.
- Use a Sealant. Concrete sealants can prevent winter damage by creating a water barrier. Water is unable to get into the foundation of the concrete so it does not crack. You can inexpensively and easily apply a sealant to a small concrete area such as a patio or driveway. If you are doing it in a larger area I would recommend consulting a Professional.
- Snow Removal. During the winter, of course it snows. This snow can melt and refreeze many times throughout the season. If you remove the snow, you minimize the chances of water penetrating your concrete. This will reduce scaling and cracking! Also, people won’t slip!
This simple guide should help you save some money on concrete repairs and maintenance!
