In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics on preparing your concrete driveway or any other concrete surface on your property for the upcoming winter. Winter brings its share of moisture issues and related concerns to concrete surfaces, but the right basic prep steps will ensure your surface is at no risk and is in pristine condition when next spring arrives.
At Lift Right Concrete, we're happy to provide a wide range of commercial and residential concrete repair services, including driveway lifting and assistance with numerous other concrete winterization themes. In today's part two of our series, we'll go over some other basic steps we recommend to concrete driveway owners when it comes to preparing them for winter and ensuring they're protected.
At the end of part one, we discussed the need to call our concrete repair experts if you note any significant cracks or damage in the surface during standard fall cleaning. If this is your situation, you can generally expect our team to apply a professional-grade sealant as part of your concrete repair services we perform, with a few rare exceptions.
Even in cases where you don't find any damage and don't need our assistance for repairs, however, we strongly recommend considering a sealant anyway. There are several great options you can find at your local home improvement store, and our experts will offer tips on which products are best for your exact surface. Sealant helps fill in microscopic cracks you can't see, plus offers basic protection from winter elements like de-icing chemicals, road salt and more.
Note: Most driveway sealants only need to be applied every two or three years, so if you did this last year with a quality product, you should be set for this season.
Once the surface has been properly repaired (if necessary) and sealed, it's time to ensure it is draining properly. Pooling water is never a good thing for concrete, especially during the cold winter, so be sure nothing blocks water from flowing properly off the surface and there are no sunken sections that allow it to pool up. This is another area our team is happy to assist with if needed, as leveling is one of our specialties.
Utahns know it will snow several times during the upcoming winter. The top tip we can offer for your concrete surfaces that are exposed to snow: Do your best to remove it as soon as possible, as this will limit any risks of moisture seepage or cracking. In addition, if you like to use ice melt on the surface, only use calcium-based products – others have chemicals that might damage your concrete.
For more on keeping the driveway in good shape through the winter, or to learn about any of our concrete repair services, speak to the staff at Lift Right Concrete today.
