Winter is coming, and you should be prepared for it. And no, we don’t mean whitewalkers but something even more sinister, damage to your concrete driveway. While snow might look pretty, it can wreak havoc on your driveway’s structural integrity. Thus, you must ensure that you take proper care of your driveway and other concrete surfaces exposed to snow or hire professionals offering concrete leveling services to minimize danger.
This article will discuss tips on how to prepare your driveway before it snows, so without further ado, let’s get started!
Check For Cracks
The first thing you need to do is check your driveway for cracks. This is important because the current state of your driveway will determine how worse it will be next spring. For instance, if your driveway already has cracks, they will worsen after winter. This is because the snow and ice will melt and seep into the cracks. When the temperature drops, the water freezes and expands and causes the cracks to get bigger.
You can apply a driveway sealant, a protective coat, to help seal the cracks and prevent damage.
Clean Your Driveway
When the snow starts falling and accumulating on your driveway, keep it clean and remove any sticks, rocks, and leaves that can cause further deterioration. Certain ice melts also have chemicals that can seep into the cracks and cause serious damage. Thus, remove ice, and wash away the dirt and grime.
Shovel Frequently
As soon as it starts snowing, get your shovel out and clean away the soft fluffy snow before it turns icy and seeps into the cracks. You can also use a snowblower to minimize the work.
Check Drainage Issues
Another way to prepare your driveway before it snows is to check for a proper drainage system. If your drainage system has issues, snow water will pool into the cracks and refreeze as the temperature drops, causing your concrete driveway to damage further.
Level Your Driveway
Aside from winter and snow, multiple factors cause your concrete driveway to sink over time. The best and most effective solution is to hire concrete leveling experts and repair your driveway with mud jacking.
Mud jacking is a repair technique that levels sunken concrete surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and slabs without replacing them altogether. Mud jacking is a preferred concrete leveling technique because of the following benefits:
- Mud jacking is quick and easy as compared to concrete replacement. The repaired surface can carry heavy weights in a few hours. In contrast, a replaced slab needs to be prepared and cured for a few weeks before it can be used.
- It is cost-effective and costs less than half of other concrete replacement procedures.
- This technique fixes the root problem. For instance, in a concrete replacement procedure, the air pockets in the soil are left as before, which will cause the newer slab to sink as well. In contrast, mud jacking fills the air pockets and ensures your repaired slab lasts for years.
We hope this article helped you understand how to prepare your driveway before it snows and which techniques to use to repair your sunken driveway.