Driveway maintenance is something you are going to want to consider as the cold winter months roll in. Not only do colder temperatures mean rougher weather conditions. They also mean a variety of other nasty effects that can ruin any good driveway.
From water freezing and thawing in gaps to heavy hail or rain, there’s a lot to watch out for. Hopefully, you can gain a better understanding of the need for driveway maintenance come the end of this blog.
What Is Driveway Maintenance
To begin with, let’s be clear about driveway maintenance. While it likely conjures a variety of work conditions the reality is it is a wide umbrella term. It can certainly involve renovation and replacement. Say, relaying brick or trimming the edge of soil banks. But this is not always the case.
Often times, driveway maintenance can be as simple as taking care to clear debris from your front every so often. Removing dirt, snow, ice and other materials that can grind against the driveway surface or become trapped within the gaps.
Even washing the driveway down every so often is enough to be considered driveway maintenance. Since allowing muck or chemicals to stain the driveway can lead to issues. Issues beyond ugly marks on the driveway surface.
Why is Driveway Maintenance so Important?
One reason is that unwashed chemicals that dry into the driveway surface can compromise its strength. Weakening the material and making it more prone to chipping or cracking. In addition to potentially weakening the bonds between bricks or stone driveways. Which can cause entire stones to be dislodged.
During the winter the main issue is freeze thawing. Driveway maintenance is critical in combating this destructive effect.
Which is, when water gets into the micro-cracks of stone, tarmac or brick pathing. The water fills in the gaps within the material before freezing. Which you may already know, causes expansion. Putting intense pressure on the materials of your driveway.
After the formed ice thaws the driveway is left with damaged materials, up to entirely cracked brick or rock. Without driveway maintenance, especially during the cold period, this damage will only worsen over time. Since water will have more room to fill and expand within each time the driveway is damaged.
Is Freeze Thawing Ice That Much of a Danger?
Absolutely. Outside of the immediate damage, ice and snow on your driveway is a fall hazard. Something that also affects your ability to safely drive your car over it too.
Outside of that there is also the fact that plants will grow in the gaps created by freeze thawing. The driveway can quickly be overrun by wild flowers that only make driveway maintenance that much harder.
It is why maintaining the driveway during the winter is one of the busiest tasks. A worthwhile one at that.
We recommend that you remove ice or snow when it falls with a non-metal shovel. To reduce the chance of freeze thawing and dangerous slipping hazards. If freeze thawing does occur, be sure to seal any gaps that come up to prevent catastrophic damage.
Even if it is a temporary seal, keeping a protective barrier secure over your driveway will help your driveway survive these cold winter months.
Get In Touch
If you need driveway maintenance to help your ailing driveway or just to keep your driveway looking nice, contact us today!
Our services cover Warrington and the surrounding areas with a wide range of options.
Alongside renovation we specialise in driveway maintenance. With all of the tools to really make your driveway shine as new. Always hire a professional if you’re not confident in using certain tools or techniques, it will save you a headache later!
