Winter is harsh on a lot of things. It sends your trees into hibernation, can freeze and endanger your pipes, and can actually cause damage to your driveway. This asphalt wear and tear is typically the result of a lack of prep work done to protect the driveway before winter weather arrived, but don’t worry: it isn’t the end of the world. In fact, there are steps you can take immediately to repair your existing asphalt surfaces after the winter months.
The Cold Can Worsen Asphalt Wear and Tear
If you go into winter with some pre-existing damage to your driveway, then there’s a good chance that it will have worsened when spring arrives. This is because the intensity of winter weather often does a number on your pavement: for example, if there are cracks into which water can reach, then that liquid is likely to freeze with the cold, expanding the crack, leaving it more problematic than ever when everything melts again in the spring months. Unfortunately, this isn’t even a \”one-time\” thing every year. The above example of freezing and refreezing can occur multiple times throughout the season, depending on the weather patterns in your area.
Are you in the habit of using de-icers on your driveway? Do you know whether the type you use is detrimental to the surface underneath? This is just another part of asphalt wear and tear that can be seen as winter ends. Some types of de-icers \”are not effective when the temperature drops below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing water from the ice that was melted to become trapped between walls of remaining ice.\” Obviously, this would lead to greater instances of the issue above.
Something else to consider is the snow removal process. Whether you are undertaking this yourself or have a professional come to do it for you, whoever does the job has to be careful, particularly if there are underlying breaks or cracks in the surface. You (or they) may not notice the damage and could in fact worsen it with the use of snow equipment that is likely to snag on these cracks. Shoddy snow removal work \”can tear chunks out of your pavement or scrape away your sealcoating.\”
Put simply, you should make sure to hire an expert to handle not only the clearing of snow, but the maintenance of your pavement year-round. Someone with experience in asphalt wear and tear will be able to survey your driveway and report back on the damage and suggested course of action with confidence. To have an expert come and take a look at the pavement on your property for any reason at all,