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Sealing For Driveway Maintenance Article
Sealing for Driveway Maintenance
from:Sealing a driveway is an essential part of driveway maintenance for both residential and commercial locations. It is an important aspect of preventive maintenance that helps a driveway retain its visual appearance and keeps it in better shape, offering greater support. It’s not just something you did every 10 years or so – it’s something that should be done every 2-4 years, depending on the current state of your driveway and the weather conditions in the area in which you live.
For example, if you use lots of salt or chemicals to eliminate snow and ice, you may need to consider more frequent sealing. If your driveway is not as exposed to weather elements, you may be able to go longer.
There are many reasons for sealing a driveway, among them:
1. Driveways fade over time with rain and sun, making their appearance dull and unattractive. Sealing helps with this problem.
2. Without proper and routine sealing and maintenance, cracks and potholes will become a problem in your driveway. Sealing helps these problems from surfacing and avoids costly repairs.
3. The surface of driveways can break-down over time. The driveway is exposed to all of the outdoor weather elements. In addition it is exposed to dirt, oil, grease, salt, and other types of grime. These things can erode and damage a driveway beyond repair if they are not maintained.
4. Driveways that are not well maintained will eventually erode from plants and grass that grows through the surface. These plants and grasses can be very damaging and can cause damage underneath and on the surface. Sealing helps keep them away.
Sealers are a good way to maintain the driveway and help prolong the life of the driveway too. It’s usually advisable to apply two coats of sealer since two thinner layers will dry faster and are more effective than one heavy, thick layer. The first coat of sealer prepares the surface by forming a thin layer of sealant. The second coat is a good way to ensure that cracks not covered by the first layer of sealant are now covered thoroughly. Double layer sealants are visually more appealing and give a more professional appearance.
Be sure to get the right type of sealer for your driveway material. Asphalt, concrete, and other types of pavers are often used for driveways. Using the proper sealant is essential in maintaining your driveway. If you use the wrong type of sealer, you could risk causing more damage to the driveway than leaving it unsealed!
The best time to seal your driveway is in the early morning and when the temperature is around 75 degrees or higher, but preferably not above 90 degrees F. You want to seal on a day when the sun is shining and there is no forecast of rain in sight. These are ideal conditions but some professionals may tell you otherwise. Many people seal during spring or summer to prepare for the fall and winter months. This is a good time to consider sealing your driveway.
Whenever you choose to seal the driveway, make sure you do it. Driveway maintenance is an important part of your responsibility as a homeowner.