How to Care for Asphalt in Winter

Winter can be a tough time for asphalt maintenance, as there is often snow and ice on the ground. Newer driveways are especially vulnerable, as they will have only just been sealcoated. Sometimes, seal coating takes up to six months to offer full protection from the elements. That said, the following tips will help you to maintain your driveway this winter.

Use de-icer products sparingly. 

De-icers can be tough on asphalt, so you need to avoid using them if you can. However, if you must use a de-icer, avoid using rock salt. Rock salt can be toxic towards asphalt materials and is ineffective in temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.   Use Magnesium Chloride instead of rock salt. It’s efficient down to 0℉, or Calcium Magnesium Acetate, which is perfect down to -25℉.

Avoid the use of metal shovels.

Metal shovels can damage the materials used to build your asphalt driveway. Instead, use a lightweight plastic shovel to remove ice and snow from your outside area. We recommend shoveling early and often, as this helps to reduce snow/ice build-up on asphalt materials.

Schedule a snow-blowing service.

Many of us don’t have time to shovel our driveways and keep up with ongoing snowfall. That’s why professional snow-blowing services exist. These professionals know how to remove snow and ice from your driveway while keeping the blower blades at a safe distance from the asphalt. This prevents the blower from creating the same damage that a shovel would have caused.

Signs of Asphalt Failure

If you notice little potholes or cracks appearing on your asphalt, the asphalt is failing. If your driveway is newly laid, there should be no damage visible on the pavement. If cracks are found, it could be your maintenance habits causing the problem.   For additional information, click here to contact a member of our team today. Seal coating season may be over, but now is the time to plan ahead for when this service will be available again.    Superior Seal Coating would like to thank each and every one of our customers for a great season this year; if you need seal coating when the weather warms up, see you in the spring!