Common problems on the Front Range
Scaling and spalling — the surface flakes or pops off, often from freeze-thaw moisture and deicing salt.
Heaving and settling — slabs lift or sink as expansive clay soils swell and shrink, or as poorly compacted fill settles.
Structural cracking — wide or offset cracks that keep growing, as opposed to hairline shrinkage cracks.
Drainage damage — water pooling against a foundation or undermining a slab edge.
Repair or replace?
Hairline cracks and small, stable defects can often be sealed or patched. Where sections have moved, the surface is failing across a large area, or water is flowing toward the house, removing and replacing the affected sections — and correcting the slope and base — is usually the durable answer.