Prepare Your Driveway for Winter in 3 Easy Steps

Winter is right around the corner, is your driveway prepared? The harsh winter weather not only takes its toll on us, our homes, and our cars – but our driveways as well. If you do not properly prepare your driveway for the winter, it might not look the same come spring. Follow these three steps from Stasi Brothers to make sure your driveway is as ready as you are.

Repair All Cracks and Potholes

Use this time of the year to fill all of the cracks and holes in your driveway before it is underneath a blanket of snow. If you don't repair the damages before the winter season, you are leaving them susceptible to getting worse. During the winter time, water can start to puddle in these cracks due to rain, sleet, slush, and melted snow. When the temperature dips below 32°F, this water freezes and expands, forcing the cracks to expand with it. If your driveway is in relatively good shape, you can do these repairs yourself in only an hour or two. We have a guide for this here. If there are numerous large cracks and deep potholes in your driveway, you will have to get it professionally repaired. If you live in Nassau County, Stasi Brothers can provide these services.

Apply Sealcoat

After your driveway is patched and level, the next step is to apply a layer of sealcoat. This can be done by the homeowner or a professional contractor, such as Stasi Brothers. Applying sealcoat to your driveway adds an extra layer of protection against the harsh winter weather. If correctly applied, it will also fill in minor imperfections and provide a beautiful, slip-resistant finish that makes your driveway look new. Regularly maintaining your driveway by applying sealcoat every couple of years can also more than triple the life of your driveway.

Stock Up Now

Rather than waiting until the day before the first big storm, take a trip to the hardware store now and get any supplies you may need for the winter. You will save yourself the headache of dealing with crowds of people, long lines, and out-of-stock products. If you have a snow blower, start it up to make sure that it is running properly. If you prefer to clear your driveway the old fashioned way, make sure you have at least two shovels in case there is too much snow for a one-man job. Grab a couple of containers of play sand or kitty litter to add traction when your driveways become slippery. Avoid salt and chemical deicers – not only are they bad for the environment, they can also cause serious damage to your driveway.

If you need your driveway prepared for winter, call Stasi Brothers at 516-997-PAVE. When the snow does hit, we also offer snow removal services. Visit our website for more information, and make sure to like us on Facebook for more tips as winter approaches.

Driveway Repairs: Sealcoat or Repave?

Whether it is for resale value or maintaining a reputation around your neighborhood, homeowners know the importance of good curb appeal. Though it can greatly help or hurt a home's first impression, many people overlook the importance of an aesthetic driveway. If yours has cracks, holes, or other imperfections you have two options of fixing it; sealcoating and repaving. We will discuss the differences, pros, and cons of both methods below.

Sealcoating

As Sealmaster explains it, asphalt pavement is composed primarily stone held together by a binder known as asphalt cement. Over time, this binder begins to deteriorate due to a number of things such as U.V. Rays, water and rain, and daily/seasonal heating and cooling cycles which cause the pavement to expand and contract. Preserving this binder is the key to maintaining an appealing, healthy driveway.

The process of sealcoating involves installing a protective layer, known as a sealcoat, on the top level of your driveway. When applied correctly, this coating fills in minor cracks, provides a slip-resistant surface, and provides a beautiful black finish that makes your driveway look new.

Sealcoating should be used as a means of maintenance, it is not effective if your driveway is already badly degraded. When regularly applied as part of a maintenance schedule, sealcoating can more than triple the life of your asphalt driveway. How often you should sealcoat your driveway depends on what part of the world you live in and the climate conditions of your region. Contact a local paving contractor and ask if it's time for a fresh sealcoat.

Repaving

While sealcoating is used to maintain your new driveway and patch up minor impurities, repaving is the only option for driveways with severe deterioration. This is a complicated process that involves digging up your existing asphalt, repairing any weak spots in the foundation, then applying a brand new surface on top.

After your driveway gets repaved, your maintenance program should reset in order to preserve your investment for as long as possible. This means sealcoating every six months to a year, depending on where you live. Ask the contractor you hired what schedule is best for your driveway.

While repaving essentially gives you a new asphalt driveway, it is very expensive, costing several thousand dollars more than a sealcoat. Because of this, repaving should only be used when your driveway has decayed so much that a sealcoat would not help.

Stasi Brothers has been sealcoating and repaving residential driveways and commercial parking lots on Long Island for decades, leaving customers satisfied for more than 50 years. If you live in Nassau County and need your driveway repaired or repaved, call 516-997-PAVE today. You can also like us on Facebook to stay up to date with company news and receive contracting service-related facts and tips like these.