Getting rid of concrete that slopes toward your house is a great step to protect your foundation. Since this concrete is likely tied to your house, you will need to demo the strip near the foundation, grade the soil, and install a proper drainage system.
Yes, placing concrete around your house can protect the foundation by preventing soil erosion and directing water away, but ensure it is properly insulated and waterproofed to avoid cold and damp conditions.
Take Concrete to a Landfill
You can get rid of concrete, asphalt and cement yourself by driving it to the nearest landfill or transfer station. If you're wondering where to dump concrete for free, some county landfills offer free dump days for residents a few times a year.
If you're wondering what to put around the foundation of your house, here are the safest and most effective options.
Coca-Cola does three main things to concrete: it slows down the curing process (acts as a retarder), etches the surface to expose decorative aggregate, and removes tough stains. This happens because of the soda's high sugar content and phosphoric acid.
Water is the most common enemy of concrete surfaces. When water penetrates the surface of concrete, it can cause it to crack and weaken. This is especially true in colder climates where water can freeze and expand, creating even more damage.
Baking soda is also known by its chemical name, sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate acts as an accelerator in concrete, causing it to rapidly stiffen. The surface of the concrete that touches the baking soda stiffens to form a crust that can wrinkle, crack, and deform during casting.
Diverting water away from your foundation requires managing both roof runoff and ground-level drainage. The fastest and most effective methods are extending downspouts by at least 6 feet, maintaining a yard slope (grade) that directs water outward, and installing an exterior French drain for persistent pooling issues.
Pile foundations are dug into the earth until they reach a firm soil layer. They are great for waterlogged areas because of how they transfer the weight of the building to a deeper and more stable layer of the soil.
Below are 10 items that will help to keep your home and belongings dry.
Where to Get Rid of Cement
The 90-minute rule is a longstanding concrete industry guideline stating that ready-mixed concrete should be completely discharged from the mixing truck within 90 minutes from the time water is first added to the cement. This limit ensures the mixture remains workable and achieves its full structural strength.
To dissolve hardened concrete fast, acid-based chemical removers are your best option. These liquids trigger a chemical reaction that breaks the bond of the Portland cement, turning rock-hard chunks into a soft, mushy, rinse-off slurry.
Soil Grading Around Your Home
Ideally, the ground should drop one inch for every one foot that you move away from the house for the first 5-to-10 feet around your house. While this is not always possible, the ground should never be sloping upwards as you move away from your house foundation.
Apply penetrating sealers to the any exposed exterior concrete around your foundation. This will help prevent water from seeping through to the inside.
Depending on the extent and nature of the damage, it may take anything from two days to a number of weeks to completely dry out the damage done by a flood or leak.
If at all possible, the downspout should end in an elbow and extension that directs the water 5 to 6 feet away from your foundation. However, make sure that it does not extend onto your neighbor's property. The extension should be at a 30 degree or more angle in relation to the ground.
To effectively drain water away from your foundation, extend downspouts at least 6 feet from your house using downspout extensions. Next, regrade your yard so the soil slopes downward (about 1 inch per foot) for the first 6 feet. Finally, install exterior French drains for pooling ground water.
Gravel is highly permeable and prevents water from pooling against your home, but it does not stop water from reaching the foundation on its own. Because gravel lets water pass straight through, the soil directly beneath the gravel must be properly sloped away from the house to safely direct the water away.
Building a berm to divert water requires creating a compacted, crescent-shaped mound of soil that redirects runoff around vulnerable areas. To build one that lasts, strip the sod, build a solid base with heavy subsoil or clay, taper the edges to a gentle slope, and cover it with dense plants or sod.
On average, installing a French drain costs between $10 and $65 per linear foot. The price depends on where you live, the type of soil, and the complexity of the job. For a typical 100-foot French drain, most homeowners spend between $1,000 and $6,500, covering materials, labor, and excavation.
Vinegar is a natural, affordable option for cleaning rust, mold, and mildew off concrete, but it can damage sealed or decorative surfaces if not diluted or rinsed quickly. Always spot test first and avoid using it on sealed concrete or in combination with bleach.
Mixing WD-40 into wet cement disrupts the curing process, resulting in a significantly weakened, oily, and crumbly mixture. The penetrating oil prevents the cement particles from binding properly. Instead of mixing it directly, WD-40 is typically used as a spray-on mold release agent or to remove rust from hardened concrete.
You'll need to mix some baking soda with water for this — aim for the consistency of toothpaste. Next, spread the paste over the stain and let it sit for 30 minutes, then scrub vigorously and thoroughly rinse. In no time, you'll have clean concrete without the hassle and expense of a power washer.