Your driveway can have a hard time in the winter. Cold temperatures can weaken materials and snow and ice can make cracks and holes worse. But there are many things you can do to prevent these issues. Try these 6 ways to get your driveway ready for winter.
1. Clean it regularly
A good way to prepare your driveway for winter is to keep it clean. In fact, this is something you should do the entire year round. Consistently removing leaves, mud and other debris from your driveway will stop it getting slippery or developing damaging weed growth.
2. Make sure it has good drainage
Another thing to do in the run-up to winter is check your driveway’s drainage. Make sure that water doesn’t run onto or collect on your driveway. If you do get water on your driveway, in cold weather it can turn to ice and expand, making cracks and holes worse.
3. Seal it
Sealing your driveway is a really effective way to prepare it for winter. Sealing is normally done around every 2 years, so put in the time to check when it was last done. Sealants coat your driveway in a protective layer, getting rid of small holes and reducing damage from heavy traffic.
4. Be able to remove ice and snow
Before it gets too cold, be sure you’ve got the tools and space you need to remove ice and snow if it collects on your driveway. To stop melting and refreezing snow and ice damaging your driveway, you’ll have to get rid of it as quickly as you can. A shovel ought to do the job, but ensure it’s a size and weight you can handle, particularly when it’s filled with heavy snow.
5. Stay away from chemicals
Although they might be enticing, avoid stockpiling de-icing chemicals in the build-up to winter. Although these will effectively get rid of snow and ice from your driveway, they’ll also harm it. As an alternative, as soon as you’ve removed snow and ice with a shovel, put down sand to improve traction.
6. Repair it now
If you have any big holes or cracks in your driveway that you’ve been meaning to sort out, do it now. The winter weather will simply make them worse and you could harm your car if you go over any damaged areas when they’re concealed by the snow. Fixing your driveway before it gets really cold might prevent more damage and save you money in the long term.
These 6 things to try should help you get your driveway ready for winter. Need some expert help? Just fill in our online form. We’ll put you in touch with up to 4 driveway pros in your area who can help you with your driveway maintenance.