Asphalt Driveway Maintenance Tips

If you are curious about how to maintain an asphalt driveway, you’ve come to the right place. Driveways endure a lot of foot and vehicle traffic on a daily basis. They are also one of the most overlooked areas until something happens to them. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to extend the life of your asphalt driveway by following a few tips.

Tips for Maintaining Your Asphalt Driveway

Here are some critical tips for maintaining your driveway.

Repair Cracks

If you have holes and cracks that happen to appear in your driveway, consider patching them right away. You can simply use a masonry chisel to eliminate loose debris. Get rid of this debris before you apply the crack filler and patching mixture. After the mixture has completely dried, you can then seal your driveway. Sealing your driveway ensures it is smooth and leveled, thus preventing accidents such as slips and falls.

Prevent Cracks

The best way to prevent cracks is by sealing your driveway every three years. This water from entering cracks and holes in your driveway. As a result, your driveway won’t crack or freeze. Furthermore, shrubs and tree roots can result in cracks if they grow from underneath your driveway. The best way to prevent this from happening is by trimming roots.

Reduce Water on Your Driveway

The best solution for reducing water on your driveway is by installing a two to three-inch strip around the edges of it. This provides adequate drainage for water and snow, thus minimizing its chances of piercing the surface. Furthermore, you want to ensure that any downspouts empty into your yard versus onto your driveway.

Avoid Applying Salt

Using cement salt can result in cracking since it can also pierce through your asphalt driveway. So, what do you do instead of de-icing your driveway with salt? You can use a shovel or snowblower to remove snow. Also, you can use coffee grounds, sand, or even kitty litter to reduce slippery surfaces. You can also spray sugar beet juice to help with melting ice. This method is highly effective when temperatures are as low as below 20 degrees.

Clean Driveway

Stains such as motor oil and radiator fluid are almost inevitable. These stains can really impact the appearance of your driveway. To make matters worse, fluid can soften your asphalt as it penetrates through it. The best way to absorb the oil is to use non-clumping cat litter. This is a good method for fresh oil. If you have older stains on your asphalt driveway, you can try scrubbing it using grease-eliminating cleaners and a scrub brush.

Categorised in: Driveways