Your driveway is one of the first things visitors and passersby will see in your property. A well-maintained and beautiful concrete driveway will make your home pleasing to the eye. It is also durable, so taking care of it allows you to maximize its service life. Concrete is not high-maintenance, but a little TLC can preserve its beauty. It also protects your family, especially children, from slip and falls, which can result in injuries. Lastly, it protects your beloved car from damages.
From regular cleaning to calling concrete repair professionals, here are some ways to preserve your concrete driveway:
Clean your concrete driveway regularly.
A dirty and stained concrete driveway will make your property look neglected. It can negatively affect the curb appeal of your home. Your driveway is exposed to all kinds of dirt: the dirt from your car’s tires, debris from nearby trees, and stains from a leaky car. Sweep off the debris from trees in your yard every day.
For your weekly cleaning routine, you can use regular soap and water to clean off the dirt from your driveway. Start from the back and work your way toward the street. Make sure to clean off the soap completely using a garden hose so that you don’t inadvertently leave some unsightly spots behind.
For a more thorough clean, you can use a power washer to clean off hard to remove dirt and stains. You can power wash your driveway once or twice a year or as needed.
Apply a high-quality sealer.
Most concrete driveways can work well without sealers, but a sealer can help extend the life of your driveway. It will also make your driveway look good. You can choose from many types of concrete sealers. You must know what each type does and their cons as well. You can choose from acrylic, epoxy, and penetrating sealers.
You can also choose sealers based on their gloss level. Sealers come in semi-gloss, gloss, satin, mattes, and high-gloss variety finish. Use a roller or sprayer when applying a sealer, and avoid contact with your skin and eyes. Apply sealer in one section as a time. Drying can take at least two hours, so apply sealers during the summer season. Regular cleaning can keep the sealer on for years.
Remove stains immediately.
Do not wait for the stain to settle on your concrete. Sealers protect your concrete against stains, but it is still best practice to remove oil, grease, and gasoline spills immediately. For more stubborn stains, you can use a pressure washer to wash them off.
Avoid deicing chemicals.
Avoid using deicing products on your concrete during winter. Deicers can cause significant damage to your concrete surfaces. They will damage the chemical composition of your pavement. It can affect the stiffness and strength of your concrete, affecting its stability and integrity.
Call your trusted concrete repair expert.
When you see some serious problems in your concrete driveway, call a reputable concrete repair professional. Many things can damage your concrete. Call a concrete professional when you start to see the following: missing chunks, deep cracks, and sunken areas.
Concrete driveways can last up to 25 years, so when your concrete is nearing its end of life, call for concrete replacement.
Things That Can Damage Your Concrete Driveway
Knowing the things that can potentially damage your concrete driveway can help you avoid them, and avoid concrete cracks as well.
- Unmaintained Gutters
Rainfall can wear off the surface of your concrete driveway. It can seep into the foundation of your concrete, making it prone to cracks.
- Tree Roots
It is never a good idea to have big trees near your concrete driveway. Tree roots can push around the soil beneath your concrete driveway, lifting some slabs in the process. It can cause some cracks on your concrete driveway or even worse problem, such as hitting your home’s foundation.
- Time And Age
Over time, your concrete driveway will be more vulnerable to surface problems and damages. Exposure to too much water, road chemicals, and the ever-changing weather can take its toll on your concrete driveway. As it ages, it will show more signs of damage that you should address immediately.
Concrete is a viable option for your driveway material if you value durability and longevity. When you take good care of your concrete driveway, it can last for many years and serve you and your family well.
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