How to Prepare your Asphalt for winter

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, home and business owners have a seasonal checklist and tasks to do to prepare for winter. Preparing your paved driveway, sidewalk or parking lot is another item to add to your fall checklist. Taking a few minutes to prepare your asphalt for the upcoming winter weather can play a major role in maintaining your asphalt and extending the life of your paved surfaces.

Rake leaves and twigs

If you live in an area with trees that drop their leaves in the fall, making an effort to pick them up and the twigs, as they fall, even if not directly on your sidewalk, will help. greatly in keeping your sidewalk clean. It’s also easier to shovel after the snow has fallen. Any layer of frozen leaves and twigs can pose a safety threat and provide the perfect surface for slips and trips. Frozen debris on the base layer of ice and snow on your surface will also thwart your attempts to defrost.

Clean oil and dirt

Even if your asphalt driveway appears clean, there will likely be a buildup of oil and rubber from vehicles that were in and out of your driveway or parking lot in the spring, summer and fall. Using a pressure washer with a mild detergent is often enough to clean your asphalt and prepare it for winter. For all cleaning and stain removal, try using a stiff bristle brush (or broom) and scrubbing with baking soda or powdered laundry detergent and then rinsing off after 30 minutes.

Pruning shrubs and bushes

If you have shrubs or bushes growing near your paved sidewalk or driveway, it is best to reduce the overgrowth of these plants in the fall. This is an important step to take in preparing your asphalt for winter. Keeping your shrubs under control will help reduce the growth of any unwanted moss and make snow removal easier. Low branches can cause difficulty when they freeze in snowbanks or worse yet, on your paved surface itself.

Remove heavy objects

As we mentioned earlier, asphalt is concentrated in liquid which will freeze during the winter months. If you have heavy items stored on your paved surfaces that can be stored elsewhere during the freeze and thaw cycles, this will help maintain the flatness of your asphalt surface. The main culprits include propane tanks, RVs, trailers, and piles of building materials that you “intend” to use someday!

Clean gutters and downspouts

Asphalt surfaces are often located near homes, garages and sheds and are therefore in the direct line of fire from gutters and downspouts. It is essential that these drainage systems are maintained and kept clean so that the water flow goes where it needs to go. Leaves and other debris in roof gutters can cause a buildup that will redirect slush and rain down walls and cause puddles. During freeze and thaw, these improperly placed water tanks can cause significant damage to asphalt and paved surfaces.

Prepare your plastic shovel

Don’t be caught off guard during the first big snowfall. Prepare your plastic shovel so you can keep your driveway paved and driveway free of snow for as long as possible until the onset of winter. If you are able to safely scrape it off the sidewalk, the black surface will absorb sunlight and aid your snow removal efforts with the power of the sun.

Fill up on ice melter

In the fall, take the time to stock up on your favorite de-icing products so you can stay on top of ice and snow removal when the time comes. One of the easiest ways to ruin your pavement is to use an ice chopper, steel rod, or other destructive device to remove the ice that has built up. Be prepared and avoid heavy ice buildup to help maintain your pavement this winter.

Winter is coming. By taking a few minutes during those sunny fall days, you can prepare for easy asphalt maintenance this winter and extend the life of your asphalt investment. Pumpkin spice drinks are optional, but scoops and defroster are not!

Your asphalt needs to be repaired or to be resurfaced? Over time, inclement weather and temperature changes, it is normal for asphalt to deteriorate. If your driveway is damaged, don’t worry. Skye Asphalt offers you its affordable asphalt repair and resurfacing service!

Continue reading on next article “Why Seal Your Asphalt Driveway?“