Maintenance Steps After Receiving Your Driveway Paving Service
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Maintenance Steps After Receiving Your Driveway Paving Service

A paved driveway offers homeowners various perks like a quick installation, enhanced curb appeal, a long lifespan, and more. With this considered, the popularity of this home feature is increasing. Did you recently receive a driveway paving service and are looking for the best maintenance tips? If so, you're at the right place! Below, we've covered several tasks that a homeowner can take to ensure that their driveway is well taken care of and remains pristine. Review this list below and start proactively looking after your new driveway today.


Let the Driveway Cure Completely

The first thing to do with a freshly poured driveway is to ensure the completion of the curing process. The curing time for a paved driveway is typically 24 hours, but it might take longer in a hot climate. This process is necessary since the paving mixture has a specific formula that needs to harden completely. If you don't wait the adequate time, you risk the new driveway becoming damaged and reducing durability. After the proper wait time, you can begin using the driveway as you would like and enjoy the new smooth surface. Talk to your installation team about exactly how long it will take.


Perform Visual Inspections

Visual inspections are essential to ensure you aren't missing any minor issues that can soon become costly damages. Inspect your driveway at least twice a year, preferably in the winter and summer, because these conditions are the harshest. During this process, carefully look for imperfections you'd typically not notice. Address any issues and contact the appropriate professionals to handle the concerns.


Repair Cracks Immediately

Paved driveway cracks aren't uncommon. These issues arise from extreme temperatures, severe weather conditions, and other external factors like excessive weight. While you may believe minuscule cracks aren't a big problem, think again. Cracks on your driveway can soon turn into major issues and costly bills. Some common cracks include alligator, block, and edge cracking. While these crack types will vary in appearance, the repairing process is similar. Small cracks, less than 1/8 of an inch, can be repaired with a simple sealing treatment. But if your crack is more extensive than 1/8 of an inch, ensure to intentionally clean the large cracks before sealing it with a more concentrated sealing treatment. After your driveway paver team addresses these repairs, you can be confident that you are increasing the longevity of your driveway and enhancing its appearance.


Schedule a Sealcoating Treatment

A seal coating treatment has various benefits for your paved driveway. First, this task will help increase the flexibility of the driveway's surface and prevent brittleness and cracks. This treatment will also prevent water intrusion and extend the pavement's lifespan. These two perks of a seal coating treatment noted will be financially beneficial for you and be convenient in the upcoming months and years. With that said, know the proper time to schedule this treatment. First, don't schedule this until six months after the initial pour since this is the typical cure time. After this, the seal coating treatment can be less frequent. According to The Spruce, schedule a sealing treatment every two or three years for proper maintenance.


Regularly Clean the Surface

Regularly cleaning the surface of your paved driveway can be advantageous. Not only will this prevent stains and damage, but it can also help sustain the surface's integrity. Depending on the traffic that the surface gets, you might need to set a cleaning plan of once a week or once a month. No matter your schedule, clear of debris such as rocks, leaves, garbage, and dirt during the task. This job is done quickly with a large outdoor bristle brush. Plus, be mindful of the possibility of algae, mildew, and moss growth on the driveway's surface. Invest in a high-pressure cleaning machine and weed brush to eliminate these growths. Of course, don't forget about the professional services that can perform these cleaning tasks for you quickly, too.


Don't Ignore Standing Water

Standing water is the last thing you want on your paved driveway. Whether it's water from rainfall, gardening maintenance, or snowfall accumulation, it's essential to deal with this issue head-on and eradicate the standing water immediately. This task is vital since the standing water will decrease structural integrity and cause potholes and cracks. The first initial step that you can take to combat standing water is fixing the drainage system of your driveway. For this, contact a driveway paving service. These professionals will expertly grade your driveway away from your home to avoid low spots and water pooling and prevent your driveway's foundation from sinking or shifting with time.


Address Spills Quickly

With most paved driveways made with an oil-based formula, gasoline or oil spills can harm the surface. These concentrations, if left unattended, will quickly dissolve the top surface of your driveway and cause deterioration. This deterioration is bound to decrease the structural integrity of your driveway and ruin its attractive appearance. While the best course of action would be to avoid these spills altogether and reframe from using chemically based agents for de-icing and other outdoor projects, accidents might occur. If you find yourself in this situation, the first step is to absorb as much of the spill as possible with an absorbent mixture like cat litter or sawdust. This mixture should be left on overnight.


After this, remove the mixture and hose away any debris left behind. Once complete, effectively wash the area with a commercial degreaser or a simple combination of dish soap and water. The last step to addressing spills is to rinse the cleansed area and allow it to dry completely.


Preserve Driveway Edges

Your driveway's edges are said to be the weakest part since they get the least amount of support. With this said, it's essential to protect the driveway edges with appropriate maintenance and preventative measures. First, you can preserve your edges by restraining yourself from driving on them. The excessive weight of vehicles on the edges can result in crumbling and cracking. Plus, you can build up the soil near your driveway's edge. This soil buildup should be about one inch lower than the surface of the edges since it will encourage sod growth and proper water drainage.


Switch Up Parking Arrangements

Avoid consistently parking in the same place on your paved driveway. If you don't, you run the risk of your driveway leaving impressions and low pots. With this said, it's essential to get in the habit of switching up your parking arrangement every so often. If you find yourself in a situation where your driveway requires a heavy vehicle or large tractor-trailer on the surface for a long time, opt to use a pad under the wheels to prevent dents and crumbling.


Eliminate Weed and Plant Growth

As said above, you should address the occasional growth of algae, mildew, and moss growth on the driveway's surface. In addition, it's essential to eliminate the weed and plant growth on your paved driveway too. This maintenance step is vital since the root systems of this growth can cause cracks and bumps on your driveway's surface. With this said, intentionally eliminate all weed and plant growth after the first sign. To do this, pull up all existing weeds and apply a weed-killer solution to the area during the growing season.


Reviewing this list above after your driveway paving service is critical to ensure you understand all maintenance steps required. Evaluate these steps and see which task you can perform now, which equipment you need to purchase, and which professionals to contact to take care of your new driveway. For any of the services where you should use a professional, you can call us at A-One Asphalt Paving today!

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