Homeowner Maintenance Manual

C E N T U R Y C OMM U N I T I E S H OM E OWN E R M A N UA L

CONCRETE FLATWORK Homeowner Care and Maintenance

By maintaining good drainage, you protect your home’s foundation and the concrete flatwork: the basement floor, porch, patio, driveway, garage floor and sidewalks. Cracks A concrete slab 10 feet across shrinks approximately 5/8 inch as it cures. Some of this shrinkage shows up as cracks. Cracking of concrete flatwork also results from temperature changes that cause expansion and contraction. During the summer, moisture finds its way under the concrete along the edges or through cracks in the surface. In winter, this moisture forms frost that can lift the concrete, increasing the cracking. Maintaining drainage away from all concrete slabs will minimize cracking from this cause. As cracks occur, seal them with a waterproof concrete caulk (available at hardware or home improvement stores) to prevent moisture from penetrating to the soil beneath. Color Concrete slabs will vary in color based on the surrounding environment. Century Communities provides no correction for this condition. A common condition with concrete, called efflorescence, is also not covered. There are methods to remove calcification using a ratio of tri-sodium phosphate and water, along with a brush. Consult a professional should you have questions. Heavy Vehicles Prohibit commercial or other extremely heavy vehicles such as moving vans, recreational vehicles and other large delivery trucks from pulling onto your driveway. We design and install concrete drives for conventional residential vehicle use only: family cars, vans, light trucks, bicycles and so on. Ice, Snow, Chemicals and Fertilizer Driving or parking on snow creates ice on the drive, which magnifies the effects of snow on the concrete surface. Remove ice and snow from concrete slabs as promptly as possible after snowstorms. Protect concrete from abuse by chemical agents such as pet urine, fertilizers, radiator overflow, repeated hosing, or de-icing agents, such as road salt that can drip from vehicles. All of these items can cause spalling (chipping of the surface) of concrete and are not covered by Century Communities. Expansion Joints Remove plant growth from the expansion joints as soon as it appears. Left to grow, the roots expand and will crack or damage your concrete. Sealer A concrete sealer, available at paint stores, will help you keep an unpainted concrete floor clean. Use only products designed to clean and seal concrete. Spalling (Surface Chips) Causes of spalling include repeated hosing of concrete for cleaning, animal urine, radiator overflow, fertilizer, un-cleared snow and ice, ice-melting agents, and road salts from vehicles. Repair of spalling is a home maintenance task.

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PA G E 4 . 6

C E N T U R Y C OMM U N I T I E S