Driveway Maintenance

asphalt driveway

ASPHALT

Blacktop driveways will not remain smooth and black forever. The forces of our New England weather does its best to break down this surface. Unless your driveway is adequately maintained, cracks and potholes will definitely appear. Also, grass can take over the edges and work its way through developing cracks throughout the driveway surface.

Excessive heat, freezing grounds, ultraviolet rays and substances such as salt, oil, gas and grease all take their toll on your driveway. Without protection, that beautiful black driveway eventually can become a lumpy, crumbling mess. If you are willing to put forth a little effort, you can prevent these problems by sealing coating your driveway every two to three years. You can do it yourself or simply hire the professionals who do this on a daily basis.

CONCRETE

Repairing cracks and holes in concrete prevents water damage and improves safety. These cracks can allow water to travel into open areas where it isn't invited. Concrete is also quite porous and acts like a sponge. When temperatures drop and concrete is wet, it can freeze, causing cracking and spalling or chipping. You can minimize this damage by periodically sealing the concrete with an acrylic or silicone-based concrete and masonry sealer.

A liquid concrete sealer prevents water absorption by filling the pores of the concrete. Generally clear, a concrete sealer lasts for six months to a year depending upon the quality of the material, surface preparation, and the climate.

Inexpensive "water seals" don't offer the level of protection that some of the more pricey products do. Moreover, poor-quality sealers need to be applied more frequently and can end up costing you more money in the long run. Concrete sealers can be applied with a brush, roller, or by using a pump garden sprayer. Before you begin, the concrete should be cleaned up. Rock salt used to melt snow is another primary source of deterioration of concrete. Sealer can also help protect the concrete from salt damage. After the snow melts, rinse the area with hot water to remove the majority of salt deposits.

A driveway that is not properly maintained simply cracks excessively and falls apart

damaged driveway

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Hi Dave,

I just wanted to write and thank you very much for doing our inspection today. You really took an awful lot of extra time to explain things to us. It was a huge help and by far my favorite part of this whole home-buying process. In addition to drawing our attention to the major projects that need to be undertaken right away or in the near future, I was glad that you were also so thorough as to point out smaller things and provide suggestions for fixes that we'd be able to do ourselves. Thanks again for all your effort. I'm finding your "Know Your Home" book a great source of information along with your report. I'll no doubt have some questions for you at some point and really appreciate your willingness to answer them. Have a great rest of your weekend!

Take care,

Sean