A new concrete driveway is always an excellent addition to add great value and curb-appeal to your home. Here are a few maintenance tips you may want to follow to help you keep your driveway in great shape (and looking like new!) for years to come!!
Seal The Surface
All concrete driveways should be sealed immediately after its initial construction, to assist in protecting the concrete surface. A good quality concrete sealant should be re-applied every 12 to 24 months – this helps in keeping the protection of the sealant strong at all times.
Clean The Driveway
Concrete driveways are usually at high risk of staining from oil, other gasoline products, tar and dirt. Normally, a fresh oil stain can be removed using soap and a household scrubbing brush. Don’t use a wire brush as they can damage the concrete surface. After you have scrubbed the stain, wash the affected area with water from your garden hose. If this treatment does not work, you may need to use a pressure washer to remove the stain.
Avoid Heavy Weights
The average concrete driveway can easily handle the weight of a car, minivan or even an SUV. However, we recommend that you do not allow larger motor vehicles to be parked on your concrete driveway. Rather, let these larger vehicles park on the street, or elsewhere. This will help prevent the possibility of cracking of the concrete as a result of the increased stress and pressure from these heavy vehicles.
Ice And Snow Removal
Obviously, this is only relevant in colder climates – we don’t get much snow here in Phoenix, but I thought I would include it for readers from further North in the USA!!
Always try to remove snow from driveway surfaces as soon as possible, as the effects of freezing and thawing may create cracks in the driveway. Avoid using de-icing chemicals to help melt the snow or ice from your driveway. Chemicals like these often penetrate the concrete surface and damage the surface below. The best way to gain more traction on an icy driveway is to use sand. Resealing your driveway in the Fall will help to protect it from the harsh effects of the winter season.
In most circumstances, normal, scheduled maintenance of concrete driveways can be handled by local concrete contractors. Always use a highly skilled and well-trained professional concrete company so you know that your driveway is always protected with the very best products on the market. We recommend that you check with AAA Concreting to see if they can provide on-going driveway maintenance in your local area. This way you can keep your driveway and the entrance to your home in the best possible condition for a long time to come.
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