Concrete is a durable material that’s excellent for sidewalks, curbs, dumpster pads, and similar structures. Concrete is durable, but it’s not indestructible. It requires regular maintenance and proper protection, especially during the winter months when the freeze-thaw cycle and de-icing chemicals can wreak havoc on concrete.
De-Icing Chemicals and Concrete Damage
If you have ever visited the My Pavement Guy blog before, you know owner Patrick T. Gillen III is strongly against the use of de-icing chemicals on concrete and asphalt surfaces. These chemicals, while great for melting snow and ice, also ““interact with concrete, resulting is cracking, strength loss, and eventually pavement failure,” according to a 2002 federal government-funded study.
“No de-icing chemicals are safe.” – Gillen.
Sand is a much safer and environmentally-conscious option. Still, if you want to use de-icing chemicals to melt away hazardous ice and snow (we understand. Slips, trips, and falls can be a liability), it is important to remove these chemicals when they are no longer necessary. Far too often, business owners and property managers who use de-icing chemicals fail to properly remove these chemicals when snow and ice have melted away.
Leaving clumps of de-icing chemicals, like salt, on your sidewalks, dumpster corals, and other concrete surfaces can lead to concrete damage, such as cracking or worse, total pavement failure. When concrete becomes cracked and broken, it not only detracts from the overall look of a property, it can become a safety hazard.
Concrete Repair from PTG Enterprises
The secret to great looking pavement is three-fold: initial construction, maintenance, and re-construction. And lucky for you, PTG Enterprises can handle all three phases. We are a commercial concrete contractor in the Baltimore area and our crews are extremely familiar with all types of concrete paving.
PTG Enterprises are experts with commercial concrete jobs.
According to the Federal Highway Administration Manual of Practice (FWHA Report Number FHWS-RD-99-147), “Crack sealing and filling are imperative preventative maintenance tools.”
If you have any further questions about Concrete Damage and Repair, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Tags: Concrete Damage, De-Icing Chemicals, Snow
