Water sealing a joint between two concrete slabs
My home is on a very steep lot that slopes downhill from the road. My very short driveway is really a steel and concrete bridge that slopes slightly towards the garage. The driveway/bridge is unheated and open underneath. I live in snow country so the overnight temps are often around zero in the winter and in the 60’s in summer. The driveway ends at the garage floor slab which is a few inches higher to prevent water from flowing into the garage The garage floor has radiant heat and is always above freezing all year.
My problem is the joint where the two slaps touch. There is an open crack between the slabs that allows water to seep in and somehow end up in my basement (below the garage). The crack is currently approximately 3/16′ but I imagine the size changes quite a bit throughout the year due to the large termperature fluctuations.
What I am looking for is some kind of caulk or other material that would expand to seal the crack and would remain flexible and sealed as the slabs expand and contract throughout the year. An attempt by the previous owner to seal it (see attached picture) failed, although I don’t know what kind of caulk he might have used.
Any suggestions on a suitable product would be greatly appreciated.
Replies
Backer rod and self leveling Vulkem would be my choice but it won't last forever.
Water sealing concrete joint
I'm not familiar with Vulkem, but i'll check it out. Thank you.
I'm sure there are other brands as well but Vulkem is what I use and I know it works. Resist the temptation to make your joints too deep or the Vulkem can tear. For your joint I'd suggest using the large tubes rather then a bulk as the flow is easier to control.
It's going to be hard to get anything to seal and remain flexible enough. But it might be worth trying a piece of hollow rubber hose, caulked into place.
Berg
Urethane caulk is what to use (vulkem is one), but caulk is a stop gap measure.
Something more permanent if you can get the proper fall away from that area-cut in a drain grate to carry the water away. Gives a bit of thermal break at the slabs as well (that is, if your broke the two at or near the door line. As it looks, you'd probably cut the drive, butt up to the apron. Might help you transition from slab to apron a bit easier as well.
Get the good ones, like in service garages. Some of the residential varieties not quite up to par with the commercial.
Water sealing a concrete crack
Calvin,
I certainly agree that a drain of some kind would be ideal. In fact the house next door has such a drain and works great. Unfortunately there is radiant heat tubing in the driveway so cutting into it would be pretty risky. I don't heat the driveway since the cost would be prohibitive but on the other hand I would hate to permanently disable/destroy the system in case the next owner has buckets of money and wants to heat it. So I don't see how much of a cut could be made into the surface withput hitting the tubes inside. The slab is 8" thick with 16" I-beams supporting it.
There is a spot right up against the house between the two garage doors (it is a duplex) that has no heat tubes, so we are considering using core drill to install a round drain through the slab in this spot. We were able to confirm the lack of heat tubes in this area by heating the driveway temporaily when it was snow-covered. So that solution may be the best we can do in terms of a drain.
Thanks for your comments.
I've always wondered about the costs of "heating" a driveway versus the cost of owning and operating a snow blower. Also wondered about where the melted snow (water) goes if, like you, you have poor drainage anyway. Have you run yours for extended periods and if so how much did it cost? I've also assumed that you would only need to "heat" the driveway to 33 degrees to keep the snow off.
Heating my driveway
Dear Florida,
That is a good question. I bought a Sno-Tek (Ariens budget line) snowblower last year from HD for a bit less than $500. I used it quite a lot last winter due to frequent and heavy snowfalls, believe it or not, with some as late as mid-May with a few light snowfalls into early June. I am in Colorado within spitting distance of the Continental Divide so I guess that is to be expected. Since I am retired and my cost of labor is $0.00 per hour, we won't consider the snow-clearing labor cost. It is a very small driveway so It usually only takes me 30 minutes or so to clear it, unless we have had a very large dump of snow (a foot or more).
As for the cost of running the heat, I have to defer to my duplex neighbor who tried it the year before I moved in and said it is "WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!", He did not go into details and I just took him at his word and have never turned it on.
So I guess you don't have to worry too much about snow in Florida. But then again, we don't worry too much about hurricanes and have absolutely no use for air conditionaing up here at 10,600 above sea level.
BTW, if you want an idea of why I live here and endure all this cold and snow, check out the view from my back deck. If you love the sea, it is probably not that appealing, but for those of us who like the mountains (or both), it is pretty nice.
Enjoy the warm temperatures in the Sunshine State!
Are You in Breckinridge? Beautiful place and I love it there. I'll be in Vail in September and can't wait. W're usually there 2 or 3 times a year. My oldest lives in Colorado Springs and has a moderately steep driveway. We've talked about heating the driveway as he's already had one expensive accident from sliding on frozen snow.
Florida,
Yes. my home is in Breck. But i love going to Vail too. It is just a little farther away. We will attend the Beaver Creek Oktoberfest 13 Aug- 1 Sept and I think Vail has theirs on two weekends in Sept.
I had a home in Colo Spg, and even though it is considered to be in the "Banana Belt" of Colorado, they can get a good bit of snow. My driveway wasn't too steep so I rarely cleared it. Just threw some sand on the ice when needed.
Like a lot of places with snow, buying a house with a south-facing driveway can save a lot of hassles. And while I am giving out free advice (worth what you pay for it) on home-buying, get a home to the east of your office so if you are a commuter you face away from the sun on both your daily drives.
Enjoy your time in Vail. And if you are looking for a nice drive and/or hike and the snow hasn't started yet, the Upper Piney River trail above Piney Lake is nice. It is a fairly long drive on dirt roads starting among the condos on the north side of I-70 across from the ski area. Google should be able to find it.
berg
My golly, that is a spectacular site.
Water sealing a concrete crack
DanH, thanks for the tips. I will try both a smal rubber tube or backer rod if I can get either one into the crack as it is pretty small.