When it comes to concrete, there is a variety of dos and do nots. Most homeowners do not pay attention to concrete pours. In fact, during the home building process, the main concrete pour involves your foundation. Luckily, the foundation must be inspected before the builder can move on to the next phase of building your home. If you are building a concrete patio around your swimming pool or as an addition to your home, you will want to know when the best times to pour concrete are. Can you pour concrete in the rain? Yes, your contractor must understand how to remove excess water from the concrete.
Let’s take a look below at what you should and should not do during a concrete pour in the rain.
What Would Happen?
Pouring concrete in heavy rainfall can end in major damage. Be sure to check the weather forecast before you start. You wouldn’t want to start pouring concrete if severe weather is in the area. Be sure to check the layout of the project. Ensure that any downspouts that funnel water away from the home are not going to funnel water onto your concrete pour project.
Also, if the rainfall is light, you can cover the project with plastic sheets or tarps as you work. Once the project is completed, you will cover the concrete so that it could properly cure. Let’s take a look below at some ways concrete can be affected due to rain.
- Craze cracking – If you can see hairline cracks beginning to form as the concrete cures, this is a result of too much moisture. Over time, the cracks will get bigger.
- Surface scaling – If you notice that the surface of the concrete has now started to peel away and becomes chopped up, this is due to rain. Additionally, the surface colors will become varied.
- Dusting – If the surface of the concrete is dusty after it has dried, this is due to rain.
Consider conducting a scratch test to ensure the strength of the concrete surface is good.
What Do I Do If It Rains?
Before starting any concrete project, check the weather conditions. Also, note that some times of the year might be better for a concrete pour than other times. Try to plan. Let’s take a look below at what we can do while pouring concrete if it is raining.
- Avoid the push – Refrain from pushing any rainwater into the fresh concrete. This will create bigger issues.
- Dry cement mix – Never throw more dry cement onto the surface water in hope that it soaks it up. This completely diminishes the outer layer of the concrete surface.
- Push the water – As you are working in the rain, push the excess water off the edges of your concrete. Use a float or a hose to push all excess water off the edges.
How Much Does It Cost?
If you are looking to get a concrete slab poured, the national average ranges from $5.50 to $9.50 per square foot. Depending on the size of the pour and the location of the pour will determine how much the project will end up costing. Keep in mind that the contractors’ materials and labor can change your costs as well.
Other Recommended Maintenance
Now that you understand why pouring concrete in the rain is not ideal, you can begin looking into how to encapsulate a crawl space. This might require you to utilize concrete pours to seal up all areas around the crawl space.
Next, consider adding a concrete vapor barrier before you pour the concrete. A vapor barrier will keep moisture out of the concrete. Also, it will keep radon out by covering the dirt that you are about to pour onto.
Lastly, as stated above, check your downspouts off your gutter system. You will want to ensure that they extend far enough away from the home that any runoff does not add excess moisture to your new concrete project.
When Do I Call A Professional?
The moment that you decide about a concrete project is the moment that you should call a professional. Not only is it a labor-intensive project, but it also requires specific building codes to be followed. Consider hiring your local home inspection team to assist with inspecting all areas around your home. This allows you to get a solid footing for how your project should turn out. Also, they can refer you to a reputable professional concrete contractor.
Conclusion
Pouring a patio, sidewalk, driveway, or even a foundation pad for a new home can be a challenge in Texas. In many cases, you have no idea when the weather is going to go from beautiful to full-on rain storms. Although we like to think we have the weather updates all under wraps, things can change in an instant. Be sure to hire the right concrete contractor for your project.
Hire a reputable contractor that is known to be cautious and will ensure that your project has zero imperfections. Also, reach out to your local home inspection team to ensure that the project is done in the right location and meets your home’s needs. Reach out to All Coast Home Inspections for a full home inspection in Houston, TX.
