Preparing Your Driveway for Winter
Halifax winters can be tough on driveways. Between the snow, salt, and constant freeze-thaw cycles, even small cracks can turn into big repairs. The good news is that a little preparation now can save a lot of stress in the spring.
1. Do a quick check-up
Walk your driveway and look for cracks or dips where water might collect. If you can fit a coin into a crack, it is big enough for trouble.
Blacktop Asphalt Paving offers quick patching before winter and will tell you honestly if it can wait until spring. Book a free quote here.
James Downey, owner of Blacktop Asphalt Paving, says a little driveway prep before winter can save homeowners major repairs come spring.
2. Give it a clean sweep
Leaves and dirt trap moisture and speed up wear. A quick sweep and rinse helps more than people think. Oil stains should go too because they soften asphalt and make it easier for winter to cause damage.
3. Add a protective layer
If your driveway has not been sealed in a few years, early fall is the perfect time. A fresh seal keeps water, salt, and sun from finding weak spots. It also gives your driveway a clean, dark finish just in time for the holidays.
4. Watch your drainage
Make sure water runs away from your driveway, not toward it. Redirect downspouts, clear gutters, and fill low spots before the deep freeze sets in. Small drainage fixes now prevent heaving and cracks later.
“Most of the damage we repair in spring started months earlier,” says James Downey, owner of Blacktop Asphalt Paving. “When moisture gets into cracks and freezes, it expands and breaks the surface apart. Once that starts, it only gets worse with each storm.”
5. Plan for snow the smart way
Use a rubber-tipped shovel or a snowblower set slightly above the surface. Skip harsh rock salts because they eat away at asphalt. Eco-melts or sand work just as well and are easier on both the surface and your yard.
Local makes it easy
Blacktop Asphalt Paving is locally owned and operated, which means no call centers or waiting weeks for a response. You call, they answer, and someone from the team shows up. They even take winter quote requests so your paving work can be booked early for spring.
“We know Nova Scotia winters,” Downey says. “We are out in them every day, so when we tell you something will last, it will.”
Ready to get started?
Call Blacktop Asphalt Paving or visit blacktopasphaltpaving.ca to book a free winter quote. When the snow melts, the cracks will tell the story.
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