Making sure that your driveway is in excellent condition can be challenging when you live in a climate that experiences harsh winters. Whether using the driveway for parking your car or paving that leads to your garage, it's frustrating to drive over cracks and potholes. Since these problems could be more of a concern when you live somewhere with snow and ice during the winter, you'll need to keep up with maintenance.
Reach out to a paving contractor with the following steps in mind to ensure that your driveway remains in the best condition possible.
Sealcoat in Advance
The most effective way of protecting your driveway throughout the year is to have it sealcoated. Applying at least a single layer or sealcoat to the pavement will provide an essential barrier to protect the driveway. The sealcoat will provide damage caused by rain, snow, and any vehicle fluid.
Since the layers will need to be applied evenly and need time to fully cure before you can park on it again, it's best to work with a professional to handle every step of the process.
Clean the Driveway
As you prepare to winterize your property, you'll also need to factor in caring for the driveway. Your driveway will need to be cleaned before the first snowfall so there won't be leaves, branches, rocks, and other landscaping debris left. Since this small debris could become buried under the snow and damage the paving, you'll need the entire driveway cleared before the temperatures begin to drop.
Keep Up with Shoveling
Whether your driveway was recently paved or you've had repairs done recently, you'll want to do your best to prevent any damage over the winter. The most effective way of protecting your driveway when you live in a climate with snow and ice is to keep up with shoveling. While shoveling a path for your vehicle may seem like it's all your need, leaving some parts of the driveway covered with snow and ice is a bad idea.
The freezing and thawing process could lead to cracks and other damage, making it vital to shovel the driveway entirely so that the paving remains in good condition.
Taking care of the paving for your driveway can make an enormous difference in both the appearance and functionality you'll see. Work with a residential paving contractor if you have any questions about repaving, sealcoating or minor repairs you need to have done.