Removing snow as soon as possible can help protect your concrete surface from winter damage.
Concrete surfaces are highly resistant to heat and rain, but winter weather may be their one real weakness. If you have a concrete driveway, walkway, patio, sidewalk, or any other various surfaces that may be constructed from concrete, there are steps you should take to protect your concrete this winter. If concrete is left unattended through the harsh cold months of winter, you may find yourself having to spend quite a bit on concrete repair come springtime. Instead of waiting to make repairs, learn now how to protect your concrete from the harsh effects of frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall.
Avoid Salt De-Icers
Laying rock salt down on concrete surfaces to increase traction and ice melt has long been a common practice during winter months. However, salt can actually contribute to concrete damage. Many commercial de-icing agents contain chemicals that can be detrimental to your health and the environment, as well as your driveway. Read our guide here on the alternatives available for de-icing pavement.
Protect Your Concrete With Sealer
You can hire a concrete driveway contractor to apply a sealer to your driveway. A concrete sealer can help protect your concrete from thermal shock, or severe swelling and compression that can cause concrete breakage and crack formation. PTG Enterprises can recommend a sealer product that is appropriate for your local conditions and the type of concrete surface you intend to treat.
Remove Snow Early and Often
While concrete can handle the weight of several feet of snow without cracking, snow can still damage concrete in other ways. If snow is allowed to settle on the surface, it can lead to thermal shock. As the snow melts, it leaks excess moisture onto the concrete surface, and any snow around the edges of the surface can saturate the ground underneath the concrete. This moisture in the ground can change the soil and lead to the concrete cracking and breaking as the ground underneath shifts.
To help protect your concrete from this damage, you can shovel or use a snowblower to remove snowfall as soon as possible after snowfall, even if it was light. Keep snow off of the concrete surface, and shovel snow away from the edges of the concrete. Taking these measures today to protect your concrete through the winter months can save you a lot of future expenses on concrete replacement and repair.
Maintenance You Can Trust from PTG Enterprises
If you want to protect your pavement and ensure it has a long lifespan, choose PTG Enterprises for your community sidewalks, parking lots and pavement maintenance needs. We offer commercial concrete, asphalt, masonry, paving, consultation, and survey report services throughout Baltimore, Harford, Anne Arundel, Howard, and P.G. Counties. If you are interested in hearing how we can help you, contact us online or give us a call at (410) 636-8777. For more tips and tricks, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Flickr.
Tags: cold weather concrete, Concrete Maintenance, Winter Weather
