Here’s the cleaned plain-text version of your Concrete Slab Foundations content, with all Divi/WordPress shortcodes removed:

Our concrete slab foundation delivers lasting strength and stability from the ground up.

CONCRETE SLAB FOUNDATIONS

What is a “Concrete Slab” foundation?

A “concrete slab” or “slab-on-grade” foundation is a common foundation type in North Texas where homes are built in expansive soils. Benefits of concrete slab foundations are that they’ve proven to be long-lasting, quite sturdy, and (depending on the design) relatively inexpensive to build. Overall, when engineered and built correctly, slab foundations are considered to be very reliable in Dallas.

Slab foundations are built by pouring concrete into a mold set in the ground, with no space between the ground and structure. The foundation mold is designed with a steel-reinforced beam system that includes a thick perimeter grade beam (or footing) and matching interior beams spaced in a grid-like pattern every 10–15 feet.

Upon completion, this concrete beam system serves as the structural backbone of the concrete slab, which then supports the entirety of the structure.

The downside of a concrete slab is that it rests directly on the soil, which means the foundation can be directly impacted if changes to the soil occur.

What causes concrete slab foundations to fail?

  • Expansive Soils – Many North Texas soils are primarily made of clay, which expands and contracts when exposed to climate extremes. This directly impacts a foundation by causing it to rise or fall depending on the soil moisture level. Excessive periods of rain, drought, and temperature swings (like Dallas often experiences) only accelerate these issues.
  • Plumbing Leaks – Undetected leaks under the foundation can cause the structure to either rise or fall depending on the leak’s size, severity, and duration. For this reason, AlphaLift includes plumbing testing as a courtesy as part of our repair process.
  • Erosion / Improper Drainage – Homes built on the low side of the street or on lots where water pools often experience foundation problems more quickly than those on the high side. Maintaining working gutters and drainage systems helps keep soil moisture levels balanced and protects your foundation.
  • Poor Construction – Inadequate soil testing can lead to poor foundation design. Even well-designed foundations may fail if the plans aren’t followed or the concrete isn’t allowed to cure before building proceeds. Any of these issues can contribute to long-term foundation failure.

7 Signs of Foundation Problems

  1. Cracks in foundation, bricks, sheetrock, or flooring
  2. “Sticking” or hard-to-open windows and doors
  3. Gaps around expansion joints, windows, doors, or molding
  4. Tilted or cracked chimney
  5. Sagging, bowed, or uneven floors/ceilings
  6. Roof separation or leaks
  7. Plumbing problems or leaks

Let me know if you want this formatted for a web landing page, exported to a doc, or paired with graphics/icons for an educational guide.