Did you know, that maintaining your driveway can accentuate its longevity while showering you with compliments of neighbors and passers-by! Today we are going to discuss some easy ways in which you can care for your residential or commercial driveway.

• Clean Regularly

Debris accumulation on the driveway can meddle with the normal water drainage and damage the surface from constant water buildup. This is why you need to clean your driveway at a regular interval for removing gravel, leaves, dirt, and trash which are also infamous for impacting its overall appearance. Substances like radiator fluid and motor oil can stain your driveway and should be removed at the earliest. You can keep things on the safer side by preventing oil change of your vehicle in the driveway. 

Motor fluids can penetrate to a quarter-inch in concrete and even soften asphalt drives. Non-clumping kitty litter can serve wonders in absorbing fresh oil while the combination of warm water and grease-cutting detergent can help with the cleaning part. For older stains, you can proceed with the combination of a grease-cutting biodegradable cleaner and a non-wire scrub brush to assist with the repeated scrubbing. 

• Use A Sealant

Sealants are excellent in preventing degrading damage and staining of the driveway. However, it needs to be applied with proper care for the best results. Vehicle traffic and weather condition are the ultimate determinants of how often your driveway requires to be resealed. It is generally recommended to reseal the asphalt driveway every few years and a concrete driveway every two years or as soon as they start showing signs of wear and tear. 

• Repair Cracks Without Delay

A crack might form in the driveway whenever the ground expands or shifts. You can enhance the longevity of your driveway by addressing the cracks immediately with driveway repair tape. Applying sealants regularly can prevent water from seeping into the driveway and cause further cracks when they freeze during winter.

A 2–3-inch strip clearing needs to be left around the driveway’s edges to consider a runoff area and bring down chances of water penetration into the main surface of your driveway. 

Ensuring that the water from guttering downspouts empty in the yard rather than your driveway can be an excellent fix to this problem of driveway cracks. Shrubs and trees create pressure from underneath the drive. Thus, removing the same using asphalt tape can help with the prevention of cracks.

• Refrain From Using Deicing Chemicals

Using deicing chemicals during the winter months might seem like a lucrative proposition. Deicers can lead to surface damage like spalling and scaling on being used on a concrete driveway. The main reason behind this is that the deicer thaws the ice and the moisture gets subsequently refrozen in chilly temperatures. 

Ammonium sulfates and ammonium nitrates found in deicing chemicals can chemically attack the concrete and lead to erosion over time. Rock salt is a less damaging alternative but it can harm cording metal and your lawn. The degree of damage is most pertinent in new concrete. 

• Take Care Of The Driveway’s Edges

Concrete is an extremely heavy-duty paving material. But heavy construction vehicles traveling through the driveways can erode them by causing damage. Make sure that the construction vehicles are not parked in your driveway during an ongoing household project. 

Edges of the driveway are most prone to chipping and so you need to park your cars away from the edges. You also need to be extra cautious like shoveling or plowing your driveway so that the metal blades do not scratch the surface. 

Conclusion

Following these above tips can bring down chances of heavy repair expenses in the long run.