Asphalt paving services provide you with a durable, attractive driveway you’ll use for years. However, the petroleum product is naturally porous and can sustain damage during winter from water absorption and the resulting freeze-thaw cycles. Rain can turn to ice on driveways if temperatures drop below freezing. Here are some tips for protecting your driveway this winter.
3 Asphalt Driveway Protection Tips During Winter
1. Create a Sealcoating Schedule
It can take up to a year for an asphalt paving project to cure, though the material can undergo sealcoating after six months. A quality sealant protects porous asphalt from the elements, including rain, ice, and UV rays. It also creates a barrier between the material and products that degrade asphalt, including gasoline and motor oil. Your driveway should get sealcoated every three years to maintain this protective barrier and preserve its integrity and curb appeal.
2. Avoid Using Rock Salt
Rock salt contributes to premature asphalt deterioration and is toxic to plants, grass, and waterways. To melt ice efficiently on your driveway, apply eco-friendly magnesium chloride or calcium magnesium acetate.
If your new driveway was eligible for sealcoating prior to winter, you can use sand. A quality sealcoat prevents grains of sand from sinking into the otherwise-porous paving material and melts snow by absorbing the sun’s heat. Sand also creates friction, which makes walking on your driveway in winter safer.
3. Inspect for Holes
Any holes in your asphalt driveway can worsen during winter without repair. Ice and the freeze-thaw cycle can make them deeper and wider. Inspect your driveway regularly to repair holes you find with an asphalt patch kit. You can also schedule professional patching and crack filling services to ensure a smooth driveway during winter and beyond.
