Winter is coming, which means it’s time to get your driveway ready for all that is coming with it. There are many ways to keep your pavement looking and performing at its best during this harsh season, but some are easier than others. Here are the top five easiest ways to get your asphalt ready for winter and keep it strong all season long.
- Avoid salting as much as possible
This may seem counterintuitive, but de-icing salt is actually bad for your asphalt (not to mention your vehicle). Salt is corrosive and breaks down your paving. This could take years off your driveway’s life. Instead, try looking for something that has calcium chloride as the main ingredient. This is less corrosive and just as effective as rock salt at melting the snow and ice. If you’re looking for traction, sand and cat litter are good alternatives. But the best way to keep the snow off your driveway is…
- Shovel and sweep snow and debris
Before the snow and ice comes, be sure you sweep your driveway of branches, leaves, and other debris. This will keep your asphalt easy to maintain all season long. When the snow and ice eventually arrive, make sure you shovel regularly or use a snowplow. The excess water isn’t good for your driveway and can lead to deterioration in the long run.
- Limit Large Traffic
Whether it’s limiting large trucks and vans or limiting how many people park in your driveway, keeping large amounts of weight off your driveway will help maintain its integrity. When the soil under your driveway freezes, it expands. It’s called a frost heave. Parking large vehicles on your driveway causes frost heaves to unevenly expand and make your driveway unlevel. Instead of parking on the driveway, stick to the garage or the street.
- Clean Oil Spots
In one of our last blogs, we detailed how to get rid of oil spots. This is going to be imperative to follow before the frost comes. Even though sealing your driveway helps protect your driveway from stains, it’s still best to clean them up to prevent staining. Stains can be removed with a chemical stain remover or pressure washer, but who wants that kind of hassle? Cleaning your stains before snow and ice cover them will prevent the stains from becoming set in even further.
- Seek Professional Help
Before all the bad weather comes, have a professional look at your driveway. They can tell you what needs to be done and how to care for it before, during, and after wintertime. If you’re looking for the best team to call, that would be Aegis Asphalt. Aegis means the power to protect, and that’s exactly what we do for every driveway and parking lot we work on.
We will help you keep your driveway looking and performing at its best all year round. Give us a call for a quote on your driveway project. Before the winter storms hit, it’s important to winterize your driveway. It may not be the first thing you think of when you think winterizing, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important. The health of your asphalt depends on it. If you need help with figuring out or doing your winterizing, call the team at Aegis. We will get your driveway ready for whatever winter brings.