Summer Concrete Driveway Maintenance

One perk of owning your own home is having your own driveway. Depending on the layout of your lot, you can design the length, shape and material makeup of your driveway to your desired specifications. Just like your lawn or your hedges, though, your driveway will require some summer maintenance.

While you could just pour a concrete driveway and leave it be, if you’re trying to get it to last as long as possible, that isn’t the way to go. What you should do is use some of these summer concrete driveway maintenance tips to ensure you get the most out of your driveway.

Keep sharp metal objects off your driveway

Concrete is certainly a strong and durable material, but it’s not indestructible. It can crack and chip. Metal objects with sharp edges, such as nails, screws, shovels and pickaxes, can leave small nicks that can add up over time if you’re not careful. So, make sure your gardening tools are placed on the lawn, and be careful when running your lawnmower onto and off of your driveway.

Use sealer

In the same way you’d seal your countertop to keep water from seeping in and causing damage, you should seal your concrete driveway every two or three years depending on how much traffic it receives and how much it has worn down. A sealer not only helps protect against the elements, but it also gives your driveway a nice smooth and clean finish. Don’t forget to clean it thoroughly with a power washer before sealing it.

Mind the flow of water

Whenever it rains, check your concrete driveway to see if there are any areas where water puddles or gathers. You should also watch which way the rainwater flows when it hits your driveway, because it should be flowing away from your home, not toward it. If there’s substantial puddling or the water is flowing toward your home, you’ll want to have an expert out to look at it, because that could be indicative of larger problems.

Repair cracks and holes quickly

Over time, your concrete driveway may crack due to its age and exposure to the elements. The cracks or holes can form over the winter due to water getting into the crevices and repeatedly freezing and thawing and subsequently expanding and contracting, making the crack or hole bigger. The day-night cycles of summer in addition to the accompanying rainfall can pose the threat of the cracks or holes getting worse if you don’t repair them right away. Call on the experts when you find cracks or holes in your concrete driveway to stop them from becoming larger issues.

Clean it periodically

This is just basic preventative summer concrete maintenance. You should use a broom to sweep off any dirt, dust or debris, and follow that up with a pressure washer. You can then use liquid dish soap along with the hose to remove any persistent grime, then power wash the soaped-up suds away. If you see stains, take care of those as soon as you see them to prevent them from setting into the concrete and permanently staining it.

Call for your driveway repair today

Now that you know some helpful summer driveway maintenance tips, give us a call at Langenfeld Masonry & Concrete. We have the knowledge, skills and experience to repair your driveway, and we can have it looking good as new in no time.

Categorised in: Concrete Driveways