Learning 4 Driveway Care and Maintenance Tips From an Expert
Driveways are one of the most used areas of your house, often overlooked until they stain or crack. Give them the attention they deserve by making repairs quickly. Not only can you extend your driveway’s life and attractive look well into the future, but you can also save money in the long term. Consider these tips for proper care from a remarkable driveway specialist:
Prevent cracks
For driveways, prevention means sealing concrete annually and sealing asphalt every few years to prevent water from penetrating, freezing, and cracking. Tree and shrub roots can cause cracks by pushing up from underneath. The solution is to remove trees near drives or have their roots trimmed away.
Minimize water on the driveway
Clear a two to three-inch strip around the edges of the driveway to provide a runoff area for snow and water to reduce its chances of penetrating the surface. Also, ensure that downspouts empty into the yard rather than onto the driveway.
Don’t salt cement
Cement salt and chemical de-icers can penetrate surfaces, causing cracks. Both must be repaired. Instead of salting, use a snowblower or shovel to remove snow and use alternatives like sand, coffee grounds, alfalfa meal or kitty litter to make surfaces less slippery. To melt ice, consider spraying the surface with sugar beet juice, which lowers the melting point of ice and is considered effective in temperatures as low as -20°F.
Protect the edges
Believe it or not, driveways aren’t designed for heavy trucks. Edges are particularly vulnerable, chipping under excessive weight. So make certain that your car is parked away from the edges and that construction vehicles never park there during house remodeling projects.
If you look for a reputable driveway specialist, you can rely on Arteaga's Work. I am one of the well-known driveway service providers in Tyler, TX. If you need me, don’t hesitate to contact me at (903) 213-2606 now!