Alert Potholes! 4 Key Driveway Repair Steps to Preserve your Property

Your driveway plays an important role in your home, both cosmetically and functionally. Cracks, crumbling, and potholes form during colder months, and it’s essential to take care of the problem now before spring’s rains and summer’s weeds can worsen the problem and shorten your driveway’s life.

Read on to learn the 4 key steps that will help you protect your driveway and preserve your investment in your home.

1. Cleanup

Before you can get a good look at your driveway, cleaning away any dirt, debris, or growths built up over the last few months is important. Sweep away leaves or other debris, pull weeds, and use Wet & Forget Outdoor to take care of moss, lichen, green algae, black algae, mold, and mildew on your driveway.

Click here for more details on driveway cleanup.

2. Inspect The Potholes

Now that your driveway is clean and weed-free take a close look at its surface. If you have a gravel driveway, look for any low spots or areas of gravel loss.

The easiest time to spot low areas on your gravel driveway is just after it rains when you can look for puddles in your driveway. Also, check for any low spots in your asphalt or concrete driveway, and look for any water drainage issues, no matter what type of driveway you have.

Poor water drainage is a primary culprit for damage on all types of driveways.

Next, check your driveway for any potholes. These are major problems, and you will need to repair them first to keep them from worsening or causing sprained ankles or car damage.

Next, look for any crumbling areas or cracks. Click here for more information on damaging driveway problems.

3. Repair The Potholes

Now that you’ve identified the damage, it’s time to nip it in the bud before it can worsen. Spring thunderstorms will dump enough water on your driveway to exacerbate any damage. Weeds will grow into cracks and push them farther apart. Now is the perfect time to repair damage and protect your driveway.

Click here for information on repairing your concrete or asphalt driveway, and here to learn about repairing your gravel driveway or driveway made of pavers.

4. Seal Coat

Seal coating is a wonderful way to protect your asphalt or concrete driveway. The perfect time to seal coat is just after you’ve cleaned and repaired your driveway. Experts recommend seal coating asphalt driveways every 3 to 10 years and concrete driveways every 5 years or so.

Click here to learn how to seal coat your asphalt driveway, and here to learn how to seal coat your concrete driveway. And remember: Wet & Forget Outdoor will remove any moss, lichen, algae, mold or mildew from your driveway before you seal coat it.

Photos courtesy of Ray_from_LA.