Galveston Concrete Lifting Contractors
QUESTIONS ANSWERED...

How Do I Repair a Seawall?

 

 

 

Answer...

Seawalls are geniuses when they are constructed adequately. They assist in minimizing the erosion of soil into the water and provide a great service in protecting your home and property. As seawalls age, start to show signs of stress and erosion. When there are changes in pressure, the seawall slowly loses strength and may begin to crack, Moisture makes its way through the cracks. When this happens, sinkholes, run-off, and areas of depleted soil may occur. For anyone living by the water, seawalls are a must. When you suspect your seawall could be failing, contact a professional as soon as possible to avoid dangerous threats to your property.

The professional will be able to examine your seawall to determine its current condition, and if it is in need of repair. When the waves rise and fall, the water is pushed through small cracks, joints, and other defects that appear over time. The damage that occurs is easy to overlook until it is too late. The professional will be looking for visible cracking, broken pieces, leaning/bowing/bulging of the wall, gaps, erosion behind the wall, and sinkholes. Repairing your seawall is much easier than a new seawall construction so it is better not to waste time if you suspect damage.

How much does it cost to repair a seawall?

Answer...

Repairing concrete seawall is not a permanent solution, but it is a logical solution. Day in and day out, the seawall has to take everything that mother nature throws at it, and they will require upkeep. Concrete has iron rebar in it, which begins to rust over time. Eventually, it will begin to lose its ability to reinforce. The concrete will start to crack and give way to the pressure. It isn’t possible to properly patch concrete under the water, so entire sections of the wall may need to be replaced.

In some cases, these replacement sections will be of a different material. Concrete seawall professionals will be able to fill the voids, fill the cracks, create another water-tight barrier, and displace any standing water. They will be able to tell you precisely what you need during a consultation, scheduled at your convenience.

What are my Alternatives to Repairing my Seawall?

An alternative to repairing the concrete seawall is to replace it completely. Replacing the seawall can be very costly, and can be even more expensive if there is no easy access to the wall. If a barge needs to be used, you will be spending thousands more. For this reason, repairing the concrete seawall is a better option, as long as you catch the damage before it is too late to repair it. It isn’t effective to put a patch over a critical wound, so timing is everything when it comes to being able to repair the damages.

When you feel that concrete seawall repair is needed, the first step is to get in touch with a trusted professional. A quick, cost-effective fix may seem appealing, but you don’t want to repeat the process soon after the “repair” has been completed. An expert is able to offer you advice and evaluate your specific situation before it becomes an emergency. The engineers work tirelessly to assess your particular situation.

Engineers will work with you, and introduce you to the newest materials and techniques for repair, perform a soil analysis, and evaluate your existing wall as a whole, in order to make sure that still has the potential for superior structural integrity. A concrete seawall that was built years ago may need to be tweaked a bit in order to provide ultimate protection due to changing factors over the years since installation, but there is always a solution!