Concrete is tough and long-lasting, making it a great foundation material for many properties. Given its repute, it can stun you to hear that concrete is actually porous. Given sufficient time, water from under slabs or walkways makes its way through the concrete to its surface, and the water then evaporates. During its travel, the water carries salts taken from the concrete. These salts become a white powder when the water evaporates on the surface of the concrete. This unsightly material is named efflorescence.
Water comes up through the floor for various reasons that do not involve leaky pipes. The kind of soil and amount of rainfall may influence the level of ground water. The presence of springs or near-surface aquifers can create water reservoirs under your home or business. And a nearby creek, river or lake might affect the moisture content in the soil, especially if your foundation is below the level of the high water mark.
What To Do About Efflorescence
Depending on the seriousness, you might need to resolve the water issue ahead of proceeding (sealing the foundation may not prevent issues in the walls or other spots). If the situation is localized to the concrete, a cleanup and epoxy sealing should prevent water from accumulating. West Coast Epoxy adds a moisture barrier to our epoxy sealer that halts bubbling from water vapor. After this process is complete, the concrete foundation is indeed waterproof on top. Thus, you can confidently overlay it with tiles, wood, carpet, or laminates. The epoxy sealant makes certain your floor surface will not be vulnerable to moisture again.
For epoxy sealants, the age of the concrete typically does not matter, if it is reliable. Epoxy coatings dry quickly, limiting delays, but it cannot be applied to green concrete until the material is fully set. To discover more about moisture remediation for concrete floors, call West Coast Epoxy for assistance in Dublin.
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