The winter season is a harsh time on your home’s exterior that will test the durability of your driveway. If you have asphalt then once spring arrives you’ve probably noticed cracks or deteriorations that weren’t there last fall. To avoid a ruined driveway and the repair costs that come with it, begin maintaining your asphalt through the winter. This involves performing a few steps before and during snowy weather that may seem like a hassle at the time. However, these steps can help prevent major damages from happening in the future.
Avoid Using Salt When You Can
Salt is an efficient and easy way to break up and melt the snow whenever it coats your driveway. While it may be necessary to do this if you own commercial or residential property as it’s not practical to get out there and shovel a giant parking lot before people start arriving, however, when considering a home or small business you should avoid using salt when you can. This is because salt and other chemically-based snow removal methods cause the asphalt to break down in the same manner as the snow just at a slower rate. So when maintaining your asphalt through the winter you should try to stick to shoveling and plowing whenever possible.
Keep the Snow and Debris Away
Throughout the winter season, it’s imperative that you keep any large amounts of snow and debris off the asphalt as much as possible. This is due to a large amount of weight causing strain on the asphalt resulting in things such as cracks. While it’s obvious that keeping all snow and debris off your asphalt is next to impossible what you should do is simply aim to remove any build-up whenever you can. You can also prepare for the winter season by removing any unwanted trees or hedges located near the asphalt to prevent them from falling on top of it.
Sealcoat Your Asphalt
One of the most effective methods you can use to maintain your asphalt through the winter is to seal coat it. Doing this in the fall and repair any damages before the first signs of snow. Sealcoating is a layer of protection that you can put over the asphalt. It slows down and helps prevent damage from occurring over time. Seal coating also increases the melting speed of ice and snow, keeping your asphalt clear from any of the issues that arise from build-up. Overall seal coating is a cheap and effective method that keeps your asphalt in good condition year-round and saves you from having to invest in expensive repairs in the future.
Have More Questions?
You can count on Walt’s Paving to complete your residential or commercial paving project in an efficient and timely manner. We have over 40 years of experience paving asphalt driveways, making asphalt repairs, and seal coating asphalt. We are located in Osceola IN and service homeowners and businesses within 50 miles of Elkhart IN. If you have any further questions regarding our services, do not hesitate to contact us today.
