The winter season is harsh on your home’s exterior. Snow and ice may damage paint, concrete, and asphalt. To prevent long term damage and to reduce repair costs, it is critical to maintain the exterior of your home. For those with asphalt driveways, pathways, or more, here’s how to maintain your asphalt throughout the winter.
Avoid Using Salt, When Possible
Salt is efficient at breaking up the snow and making roads quickly driveable. It’s available for commercial and residential applications where snow removal is needed. Whenever possible, though, avoid using salt on your asphalt. On roads that are frequently re-paved, any damage caused by the salt will be repaired by the city as part of their maintenance costs. For homes and small businesses, it’s best to avoid asphalt damage. Skipping the use of salt or other chemically-based snow removal techniques will help preserve the condition of your asphalt.
Ensure Plow Blades Don’t Hit Asphalt
If plow blades hit asphalt or concrete, the pressure can cause cracks or holes to form. If you’re planning on using your own snow plow to remove snow, make sure that you avoid accidentally hitting the asphalt with sharp snow plow blades. If you’re hiring a contractor to plow the asphalt, make sure that they are careful to ensure that there’s no damage.
Seal Asphalt in Fall
One of the most effective strategies to maintain asphalt in the winter is to take care of it in the fall, spring, and summer. In the fall, you should have professional contractors seal or repair any existing damage to your asphalt before the first signs of snow. Weakened asphalt has less of a chance of withstanding the winter without damage. In this case, investing in preventative maintenance in the fall is cheaper and more effective in the long run than re-paving the asphalt in the spring.
Keep Snow and Debris Away
Throughout the winter, it’s important to keep snow and debris off of asphalt as much as possible to prevent the weight of the snow or debris from damaging the asphalt. While it’s likely not possible to completely avoid having snow on your asphalt at all times, you should aim to regularly remove snow build up whenever possible. Before the winter season, you can plan to remove trees and hedges located near asphalt to prevent related debris.
Hire a Professional Snow Plowing Service
The easiest way you can remove snow and maintain your asphalt during the winter is to hire a professional snow plowing service. Depending on the frequency of their service, you may be able to regularly rely on the professional service to keep asphalt clear of snow without having to shovel anything yourself. Just make sure to ask plenty of questions about the service and look for positive reviews online.
Maintaining your asphalt is the best way to prevent the need for re-paving it. This includes regular sealing, preventative maintenance, and making small repairs quickly instead of letting them escalate. If you need any of these services, please contact TopWest Asphalt at info@topwestasphalt.com.
