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We built a new home about 2 years ago – on a slab. The slab had some uneven spots so a leveling mix was used in several areas of the house.
About 6 months after completion several bubbles occurred between the leveling compound and the slab. The bubbles were raised 1″ and had a diameter of 3-5 inches. A laminate floor with a vapor barrier and padding had been installed over the slab/leveling mix.
Six months after the first repair – 2 additional bubbles have appeared within a 3 foot radius of the first. No repairs have been done yet while the cause is investigated.
The leveling mix was used in all rooms of the house – there is no evidence of bubbles where ceramic tile was installed or where carper was installed – The house has 1500 sqft of laminate flooring and bubbles have only occuroccurredn area of about 12 sqft.
If anyone has had a similsimilarlem or has any ideas I would greatly appreciate your help
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help me out here. The leveling compound is flexible and has bubbled from the concrete? The lam. floor is up, Yes? Could there have been something at that location on the floor b/4 the leveler was applied and is causing in to not stick and "bubble"?
Inquiring minds would like to know.
thanks
*ed,Unfortunately, you have fallen prey to the almost extinct, but still dreaded concrete boring flatulent spider. i Arachnidus Scrofulous FlatularumThis spider will bore its way into concrete slabs and lay thier eggs there. The young, when born, are the only larval arachnids thought to have ever existed. The primary larval diet consists of certain building materials which may be in the area. They will eat sawdust, contact cement, rug fibers, and carpet padding. It seems thier greatest love is for leveling compound. Leveling compound is as addicting to the larvae as cocaine is to republican presidential candidates. They will eat it until they die. Leveling compund reacts to the larvaes' stomach acid much the same way that baking soda reacts to vinegar. While the larvae is one of the very few insects which are able to 'pass wind', this chemical reaction, (larval stomach gas and leveling compound.), causes such a huge amount of gas that ordinary flatulence cannot keep up with it. One of the first thigs the larvae do when they exit the holes the parent spider bored for them, is to seal that hole behind them. I would say that you unwittingly poured leveling compound over a fresh slab that hosted several of these spider larvae. The larvae sealed the holes behind themselves when coming out of the concrete below the leveling compound. They then set about feasting on the leveling compound you were nice enough to have supplied for them. There was nowhere for the subsequent flatulary product to escape to. The gas has built up under the leveling compound, causing the bubbles.The good news is that the larvae are PROBABLY dead by now, Just cut through the leveling compound and release the gas. Then squirt some hide glue into the cavity, and walk about on it until it becomes level again.The bad news is that in recent years the larvae have developed larger and larger colons and um, flatulence escape hatches. It is entirely possible that they have gotten to the point where they are able to vent fast enough to survive a leveling compound feast.If this has happened, you will risk letting the little buggers loose when you cut the vents in the leveling compound. If they have indeed evolved that ability and get loose, you will be risking the biggest epidemic of these spiders in history. The resulting abundance of the spiders and thier little larvae will undoubtedly eat you out of house and home. Or, more literaly, out of floor and slab.Fortunately I have a way to prevent that from happening. I am the only living person left who knows how to deal with the flatulent spider and it's larvae. I am available, (at a modest fee plus expenses), to come to your house and take care of the problem forthwith. If you cannot afford that, I am willing to make a sort of kit with which you could take care of the problem yourself. However, I will not be responsible for children or pets lost due to improper use of the kit. Nor to any other damages, real or imagined.I hope this has been helpful, and I hope to hear from you soon. Good luck.
*It's too bad that Luka's spiders weren't the Arachnidus Democratus Presidentus variety, since they never inhale.
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a non-flexible leveling agent was used after the floor was cleaned with muriatic acid, flushed with water and allowed to dry several days.
*good story - I almost hope you are right - on the other hand - you have altogether too much time if you have time to make-up and write this - or maybe your kits are selling that well!!!Thanks for the humor!
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Barry,
Maybe a dumb question, but are you a republican ?
*Yes Ed, I have too much time on my hands.What humor ??? Don't you know this is one of the most dastardly of infestations ???
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Apparently Arachnidus Monica-us the aide-us didn't either. {inhale}
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Typical republicans...
I divulge the existence of a whole new species of spider. A discovery which may well bring with it a nobel prize for scientific entymology, and these twits want to make it an attack and dodge political debate.
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Twits?
Next thing you'll claim that the Betty Ford Clinic was named after a republican ..... uh, wait. Never mind.
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We built a new home about 2 years ago - on a slab. The slab had some uneven spots so a leveling mix was used in several areas of the house.
About 6 months after completion several bubbles occurred between the leveling compound and the slab. The bubbles were raised 1" and had a diameter of 3-5 inches. A laminate floor with a vapor barrier and padding had been installed over the slab/leveling mix.
Six months after the first repair - 2 additional bubbles have appeared within a 3 foot radius of the first. No repairs have been done yet while the cause is investigated.
The leveling mix was used in all rooms of the house - there is no evidence of bubbles where ceramic tile was installed or where carper was installed - The house has 1500 sqft of laminate flooring and bubbles have only occuroccurredn area of about 12 sqft.
If anyone has had a similsimilarlem or has any ideas I would greatly appreciate your help
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Okay. I give up. I'm taking Doug's suggestion and sitting on the floor! ROFLMAO!!