Don’t Miss Tips to Maintain Your Driveway

Driveways are among the most used areas of your property – both residential as well as commercial. However, these are often overlooked until they stain or crack which requires immediate actions. If your driveways in Mansfield need the attention they deserve, make repairs soon. The instant action taken right on time may prevent your driveway’s life and maintain the look and feel in the long run.

These following tips can be considered to take care of your driveway:

1. Prevent cracks

For driveways, sealing concrete and asphalt at regular period is important to prevent water from penetrating, freezing and cracking. Trees and shrub roots that might be pushing from underneath, must be removed or trimmed away.

2.  Fill cracks

If at all cracks do appear, patch them soon. After the compound dries, seal the entire driveway. Ensuring your driveway is smooth and level may also help reduce tripping accidents when guests visit your home.

3. Reduce water accumulation on the driveway

Clear a two to three-inch strip around the edges of the driveway to provide a runoff area for snow and water to reduce its chances of penetrating the surface. Also, ensure that downspouts empty into the yard rather than onto the driveway.

4. Don’t salt cement

Cement salt and chemical de-icers can penetrate surfaces, causing cracks. Both must be repaired. Instead of salting, use a snowblower or shovel to remove snow and use alternatives like sand, coffee grounds, alfalfa meal or kitty litter to make surfaces less slippery.

5. Plow carefully

The blade of your snow plow should be raised enough to ensure it doesn’t scrape and damage the driveway surface.

6. Protect the edges

Believe it or not, driveways aren’t designed for heavy trucks. Edges are particularly vulnerable, chipping under excessive weight. So make certain that your car is parked away from the edges and that construction vehicles never park there during house remodeling projects.

7. Keep it clean

Removing stains caused by motor oil, radiator fluid and similar substances affects more than your drive’s appearance. Motor fluids can penetrate up to a quarter inch in concrete and can soften asphalt. Use non-clumping kitty litter to absorb fresh oil, followed by grease-cutting dishwashing detergent and warm water.

Heap Paving & Sealing provides maintenance and repair work for driveways in Plymouth. Contact them on heappaving.com or call at (508) 456-6363 for details.