4 min read
Walk it with this list
- New lips at joints. Anything you can catch a toe on is a trip hazard and a sign a slab moved.
- Standing water a few hours after rain, especially near the garage door or the foundation.
- Slabs tipping toward the house. Put a level on the patio and walks next to the foundation.
- A gap at the stoop where it meets the house, or a stoop leaning outward.
- Open joints with dirt or weeds growing in them, and failed old sealant.
- Garage floor damage from salt and brine: flaking, pitting or dust.
- Downspouts that end on or next to a slab.
Fix now vs. watch
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Trip lip over 1/4 inch | Fix now; it's a fall risk and usually still growing |
| Patio or walk tipping toward the house | Fix now; it sends water at the foundation |
| Open or failed joints | Seal this season, before the next winter |
| Hairline cracks with no height change | Seal and watch |
| Salt-damaged garage floor | Plan a coating before the next winter |
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