Take advantage of these driveway maintenance tips to guarantee a long life for your asphalt or concrete!
When the last workers leave your home, your new driveway complete, you’ve got about a year before considering driveway maintenance–if you want your driveway to last as long as possible.
For those with driveways already over a year old, driveway maintenance is already on the horizon.
This article will outline some of the standard methods of driveway maintenance, teaching you the best way to preserve the quality of the entrance to your home.
Your driveway will last for years with proper care.
There are two types of standard driveways: asphalt and concrete. Both are made to last for years, even decades, without needing professional work.
That’s if you take driveway maintenance seriously and make an effort to follow the following driveway maintenance tips.
Your driveway is subjected to the elements day after day, year after year. Combined with regular traffic, the wear and tear on your asphalt or concrete can accumulate, making driveway maintenance an essential part of being a homeowner.
4 driveway maintenance examples.
Seal your driveway.
Sealing your driveway is the single most crucial driveway maintenance tip. It helps both types of driveways–asphalt and concrete–last longer than their unsealed counterparts.
The sealant works by reducing the effects of the elements on the surface. How often you should reseal both types of driveways depends on the elements and the vehicle traffic, but there are some rough guidelines for how often you need to apply sealant.
Reseal asphalt every 3-5 years. An extra benefit of sealing asphalt is the prevention of the asphalt from breaking apart.
Seal concrete roughly every two years.
A good rule of thumb is to reseal whenever your driveway shows signs of aging.
Make small repairs.
Regardless of whether your driveway is asphalt or concrete, quickly undergoing small repairs is an essential part of driveway maintenance.
Small problems can become large problems in a hurry. Water is the most notorious culprit, but heavy vehicular traffic also plays a role in how quickly small problems spread.
Whenever there is a crack or indentation that appears on your driveway surface, seal the affected area right away. Or, if you want to be sure the small issue doesn’t propagate, contact a driveway professional to get a sense of the required repair.
Keep your driveway clean.
Cleaning your driveway is the easiest and quickest of the driveway maintenance tips.
Certain chemicals can affect the uppermost surface of both asphalt and concrete. The types of chemicals that affect the two materials isn’t essential, because they both involve the same tactic: keeping your driveway clean.
Use a hose or pressure washer to remove stains and residual chemicals.
Avoid the use of deicing chemicals.
Winters are tough on driveways due to the freezing and thawing of water. The formation of ice can cause small cracks to grow larger, leading to more substantial repairs.
Some deicing chemicals also affect concrete’s chemical composition, requiring a driveway professional to come once spring rolls around.
Using sand instead of salt for traction during the winder is one of the driveway maintenance best practices.
How often do you need to seal your driveway?
The timelines for sealing a driveway differ for several reasons, but the primary is the type of surface in front of your home.
Reseal asphalt every 3-5 years, concrete roughly every 2 years.
These are only estimates and also depend on the weather conditions in your geographical location and the amount of vehicle traffic your driveway experiences.
What is the best low maintenance driveway?
The best low maintenance driveway is concrete. It lasts the longest and requires the least amount of maintenance.
It’s also the most expensive. Take a look at initial costs and keep in mind how long you expect to live in your home to determine if a concrete driveway is right for you.
How long should you wait to seal a driveway?
A good rule of thumb about how long to wait to seal a driveway is to wait until after the first winter.
Even then, if the driveway shows little signs of aging, you’d be fine letting it go another year.
Investing more than money
A driveway is a significant investment that provides years of quality returns. But it also requires periodic time investments, plus the cost of sealant, to take advantage of asphalt and concrete’s longevity.
Driveway maintenance is a low-cost way to protect your investment, saving you money by preventing more extensive repairs in the years to come. If your driveway is showing signs of aging, don’t put off the task for the future.
One final example, then we’re through: be careful when clearing snow and ice from your driveway. Any dents or dings on the surface has the potential to expand with ice formation.
If you have any questions about driveway maintenance, reach out to Revere Construction and Roofing. We have over 25 years of experience in the industry and can guide you through the process, regardless of your particular driveway need. We offer free estimates and would love to get involved with your project!
