As the leaves change in autumn and annually show off the pride of Colorful Colorado, we know that Old Man Winter is approaching. And winter is hard on your concrete driveway, sidewalk, and parking lot. Restoration King, your local flatwork expert, provides these tips for concrete care in cold weather.
Cement can endure the harsh elements of Colorado’s climate and continue to look good and serve well year after year. It’s an extremely durable product. The care and maintenance you put into protecting your investment will pay off handsomely well into the future. After preparation and pouring, through long years of service, cement requires but little from you to maintain its integrity, and the most of your effort comes in the cold weather.
The majority of damage to concrete occurs during the winter months. And it isn’t the freezing temperatures that crack up your driveway or parking lot, it’s the moisture that’s allowed to stay on and soak into the concrete that wreaks the havoc. Standing water, snow, and ice. Concrete absorbs the water from rain and melting snow and ice. Then when the temperatures fall again and the absorbed water refreezes, it expands. Repetition of this cycle throughout the winter season without remediation will damage your concrete.
Sealers lengthen the life of your concrete by limiting the amount of water that can penetrate the surface. Recoating every other year offers sufficient protection to maintain your concrete’s integrity. During September and October is the best time of year to apply sealers.
Surprisingly, de-icers are not the best remedy for ice on your parking lot, driveway, or sidewalk. In fact, some of these products will chemically break down your concrete surface. Read the label carefully. Avoiding the use of rock salt and other chemical ice-melt products is advisable. Spreading sand instead will provide traction for vehicles and pedestrians and protect the surface of your concrete. Take care when removing ice, broken ice, and slush on your property. And do remove the melting slush from vehicles off the concrete as soon as possible because of the chemicals used on the roadways.
Make sure that gutters and downspouts on buildings are positioned to direct water away from the concrete surfaces around your home and business. The less time water sits on and against your concrete, the longer its integrity is maintained.
Restoration King in Colorado Springs (719-282-0997) and South Denver (720-469-0632) is your local restoration specialist and flatwork expert. Providing professional reconstruction services for both your residential and commercial needs, call us 24/7/365, and we’ll get you “back to before” damage condition with quality workmanship and reasonable rates. We work with your insurance company for your peace of mind and quick recovery. Your need is our specialty. Call Restoration King today.
