Professional Concrete Leveling and Foundation Repair Company in Fort Lauderdale, FL

If there is damaged concrete around your Fort Lauderdale property, you may wonder if it’s better to repair or replace it. While every situation is different, concrete replacement can be costly, disruptive, and time-consuming. In addition, simply replacing the concrete doesn’t address the underlying reason for the damage, which means it’s likely to reappear as time goes on.

That said, repairing the problem only works if it’s done the right way. Caulking concrete cracks won’t solve the underlying problem, and those cracks will likely worsen as soil and environmental conditions change. So, what’s the best solution: concrete repair or replacement?

As a PolyLevel® dealer, LRE offers a fast and cost-effective way to restore the appearance of concrete slabs — without the disruption of concrete replacement or traditional mudjacking. The PolyLevel system uses an expanding polyurethane foam to lift and stabilize the slab. When injected below the surface, PolyLevel fills voids in the soil and raises the slab back into position, closing cracks and restoring the concrete to a like-new condition.

Cracked concrete occurs for a variety of reasons. While some cracks appear shortly after installation, others may take years to develop. Learn more about what causes concrete to crack below.

• Shrinkage: Concrete cracks can form when the volume of the concrete changes over time, otherwise known as shrinkage. When concrete loses volume and the surface can no longer move freely, it creates tensile stress that forms cracks.
• Temperature Fluctuations: Concrete expands when it is hot and contracts when it is cold. If something prohibits the concrete from expanding on hot days and contracting on cold days, it creates tensile stress that causes cracks to form.
• Excessive Weight: All concrete has load limits dictating how much weight it can hold. While these load limits are typically on the higher side, excessive weight can cause the concrete to crack. Commercial and industrial properties where heavy loads from trucks and machinery are common are more susceptible to damage.
• Design & Installation: The way concrete is mixed can impact its strength and durability. Although high water content allows for easier installation, it weakens the concrete, making it more likely to crack.

LRE Foundation Repair can repair cracked concrete using our NexusPro® concrete sealant. We can also use PolyLevel® to close gaps caused by sunken, uneven concrete. Our experts will inspect your concrete and determine the best solution to restore the look and safety of your concrete surfaces.

Fort Lauderdale crawl spaces aren’t just dark; they’re also typically cool, damp, and musty smelling. Unfortunately, below-grade spaces like this are ideal environments for mold and a wide range of unwanted pests, such as termites, spiders, mice, and rats. In addition, crawl spaces are prone to latent humidity and condensation that contribute to many common crawl space problems, including damage to important structural components. Making matters worse, these issues can impact your entire home. Luckily, many of these problems can be resolved by installing a crawl space dehumidifier.

A high-quality crawl space dehumidifier reduces humidity levels not just in your crawl space but the living spaces above, too. Lowering humidity levels makes the crawl space less hospitable for pests and common allergens like dust mites, mold, and mildew. With a cleaner, dryer crawl space, your home will have better indoor air quality and provide a healthier living environment for your family. It also protects the structural integrity of your home, improves your comfort, and saves energy.

LRE’s crawl space dehumidifier was specially designed by Basement Systems for use in cool, hard-to-reach places. This state-of-the-art dehumidifier is powerful enough to handle the moisture your crawl space produces, continually circulating air to keep the crawl space dry. The energy-efficient and self-draining design saves you time and money while ensuring your crawl space remains dry and odorless.

Crawl space encapsulation is the process of sealing off a crawl space beneath a home, protecting it from outside elements, moisture, pests, and other environmental factors. Typically, crawl space encapsulation involves creating a moisture barrier by covering the walls and floor of the crawl space with a thick plastic vapor barrier. This barrier helps stop moisture from entering the crawl space, preventing mold growth, wood rot, structural damage, and other problems.

Additionally, crawl space encapsulation can include insulation installation and sealing off any vents or openings to protect the space further. Overall, crawl space encapsulation helps improve indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and the overall health of your home.

How We Encapsulate Your Fort Lauderdale Crawl Space

• Install Airtight Doors & Vent Covers: Our crawl space encapsulation process starts by sealing crawl space doors and vents from outside air. Doing so stops the cycle of cold, humidity, and moisture inside the crawl space. Sealing off these areas doesn’t completely prevent water from entering the crawl space, but it goes a long way in stopping moisture intrusion.
• Eliminate Sources of Standing Water: Next, a crawl space drain and sump pump system are installed to remove sources of standing water. While this prevents a flooded crawl space, moisture (usually in the form of water vapor) can still seep through porous concrete walls and floors.
• Make Structural Repairs: Before we can encapsulate and insulate the crawl space, we will repair any structural damage caused by mold, wood rot, or other issues. We do so by installing crawl space support jacks, which strengthen the structure and help eliminate sagging, ensuring the floors above the crawl space stay even.
• Encapsulate & Insulate the Crawl Space: After we’ve made any necessary crawl space repairs, our experts will install a vapor barrier. The heavy-duty crawl space liner prevents moisture and humidity from entering the crawl space via pores and cracks in the concrete walls and floor.
• Install a Crawl Space Dehumidifier: The final step includes installing an energy-efficient, self-draining crawl space dehumidifier to ensure the crawl space stays cool and dry.

Once you have a crawl space encapsulation system in place, you no longer have to worry about humidity, moisture, and other crawl space problems again. Plus, you’ll gain valuable storage space in your Fort Lauderdale home!

As an unfinished space located between the ground and the first floor of your home, crawl spaces are vulnerable to a variety of issues that put your home’s structural integrity and health at risk. While every crawl space is different, it’s important to understand the common crawl space problems Florida homeowners experience.

Common Crawl Space Problems

• Moisture & Humidity: Moisture and humidity are two of a crawl space’s biggest enemies. Water can enter the crawl space in a variety of ways, including heavy rainfall, poor ventilation, high humidity, hydrostatic pressure, and more.
  
  If left unchecked, crawl space moisture and condensation can lead to mold and mildew growth, pest infestations, reduced indoor air quality, and rot that weakens floor joists and causes structural damage. Worse yet, flooding and pooling water can even cause the crawl space ceiling to collapse, resulting in sagging, uneven floors in the living space above.
• Mold & Musty Odors: Because crawl spaces are often dark and damp, they’re the perfect location for mold, mildew, and other allergens to develop. However, just because they start in the crawl space doesn’t mean they stay in the crawl space. As time passes, you may notice musty odors in the living spaces above or experience worsened allergies, asthma, and respiratory systems caused by poor indoor air quality.
• Wood Rot & Rust: Water intrusion can also damage vital structural components inside your crawl space, including wooden beams that support the weight of your home. Even the smallest amount of moisture can cause wood rot and mold growth that causes these components to deteriorate. Over time, rot and mold can weaken the structural integrity of large areas of your home, leading to uneven or sagging floors, cracked foundation walls, and more.
• Higher Utility Bills: Crawl space humidity can seep into the living areas above, which makes it difficult to regulate indoor air temperatures. As a result, your air conditioner has to work harder to keep your home cool, which can lead to increased utility bills.
• Pests: Nobody wants to deal with pests in their home. Unfortunately, a cool, damp, and dark crawl space is a beacon for all sorts of pests, from spiders and termites to mice, rats, snakes, and other critters. As these unwanted pests infiltrate and settle into your crawl space, they can damage important structural components, create unhealthy living conditions, and — worse yet — invade other parts of your home.

With over 30 years of experience, LRE Foundation Repair understands the unique challenges Florida’s soil composition and climate pose to both residential and commercial foundations. We have the expertise to address many foundation problems, from failing seawalls and collapsing retaining walls to foundation settlement and everything in between. And, as a foundation repair contractor in the renowned Supportworks network, you can feel confident you’re investing in high-quality, proven repair solutions installed by industry experts. Better yet, all of our foundation repair products are backed by some of the best warranties available!

Although some foundation problems are easy to spot, others can take a while to become noticeable. A small crack or sticking doors and windows may not seem like a big deal at the time, but when neglected, can lead to bigger issues down the road. When it comes to protecting your home from structural damage, it’s essential to recognize the warning signs — both big and small. Learn more about common foundation problems in Fort Lauderdale below.

Signs of Common Foundation Problems

• Ceiling, floor, and wall cracks
• Heaving or sinking floors
• Cracked or leaning chimney
• Sticking or misaligned windows and doors
• Street creep

• Buckling, bowing walls
• A wet or flooded basement
• Uneven floors above the crawl space
• Cracks in exterior brick or stucco
• Collapsing retaining walls or seawalls

If you’ve noticed any of the warning signs above, it’s important to have your foundation inspected by a professional like LRE Foundation Repair. Our structural experts can accurately diagnose and repair the problem, whether it’s cracked foundation walls, foundation settlement, or something else.