Among the various benefits of having a concrete driveway is that it is durable and requires little maintenance to stay as good as new. Since the driveway is probably the most used part of your home, you need to ensure you keep it in good condition to avoid incurring regular repair costs. Through the proper maintenance practices, you can keep your concrete driveway looking attractive for a long time. With that in mind, below are some maintenance tips for concrete North Yorkshire Driveways.

Prevent cracks by cleaning resealing it

Preventing cracks in concrete driveways means sealing it after every two years to prevent water from penetrating, which leads to cracking. However, how often you have it cleaned and resealed may depend on the weather conditions and the level of vehicle traffic it receives. You should generally reseal your concrete driveway after every two years or when you start noticing wear and tear signs n the finish. Many companies offer maintenance services when they construct your concrete driveway or guide you on applying the sealer.

Fill up the cracks immediately.

If you see cracks on your concrete driveway, the best way to prevent further damage is to fill them up immediately.  You can use a masonry chisel to remove any loose materials in the crack, brush up the dirt, apply a crack filler, and then fill it up with a filling compound. When the patching compound dries, apply a sealer to ensure the driveway is smooth to avoid any accidents.

Avoid salt cement

Don’t salt cement your concrete driveway during the winter seasons—salt cement and chemical de-icers penetrate surfaces resulting in cracks. Use a shovel or snow blower to get rid of snow or other sand and coffee grounds to make the driveway less slippery. If you want to melt ice, spray the surface with sugar beet juice to lower the melting point of ice and which is considered effective even in low temperatures as -20degrees Fahrenheit.

Plow with care

When you are plowing, ensure you raise your snow plow blade enough to avoid damaging the driveway’s surface. Use a plastic shovel when shoveling on uneven surfaces to reduce its risks of catching the driveway. Then, you can either move the snow to the side and shovel a few inches at a time as you work your way earthwards.

Park away from the edges

When parking your car, please keep it away from the edges of the driveway, which are vulnerable and may weaken under excessive weight. When you have construction vehicles or heavier trucks over, ensure they are always parked away from your concrete driveway’s edges.

Remove stains immediately

Since you want to maintain your concrete driveway’s shiny look, ensure you immediately clean spilled stains such as gasoline and oils. If it has discolored, you can use discoloring chemicals and pressure cleaning to remove the stains. Ensure you don’t use a wire brush since it can damage your driveway’s surface.

Take care of your driveway.

Concrete is a durable and robust material for constructing a driveway. However, you should treat it with care. Remember that the typical home driveway is not designed for heavier trucks and huge construction equipment, so it’s best to avoid that.

The bottom line

Maintaining your concrete driveway through the above simple practices makes it last longer, saving you repair costs.