How Not to Damage Your Driveway When Removing Snow

Come winter time, snow easily piles up in front your house and your driveway. And with ice blanketing this peaceful path, it can instantly turn into a treacherous ground. If you don’t have a heated driveway, then you have to do the back-breaking work of shoveling the snow. However, when you start digging, make sure you don’t inflict injury on your driveway’s surface to avoid premature wear and tear. Here are some handy tips to do just that.

Watch out for cracks, soft spots and protrusions

If you have an asphalt or concrete driveway, aggressively shoveling or plowing over an uneven, brittle or damaged surface can cause some of its parts to chip. This in turn can lead to a much serious damage that can be difficult and expensive to fix. To avoid that from happening, make sure that you keep your shovel and snow blower or plow blades half an inch off the driveway’s surface when removing snow.If you have a paved or brick driveway, however, it will be preferable to use plastic or non-metal shovels to get rid of the snow to avoid damaging their protruding portions.

Use the right type of deicer

An ice buildup on the surface of the driveway can pose significant risk to you and your family. If left unattended, walking on the buildup can cause nasty falls which can result to serious injuries. To remedy the problem, the ice should be melted properly.

While you might be tempted to use salt to remove the buildup to save some cash, its use is not advisable, especially if you have a concrete driveway. Salt can penetrate through cracks, corroding steel reinforcements underneath the concrete. Over time, the ability of the entire driveway to carry loads can be affected, and early replacement might be necessary.

Use deicer products that contain calcium chloride, which is less corrosive than salt. However, before you spread it over the ice, read the instructions carefully as some chemical-based deicers can damage newly laid driveways, especially if applied more than the recommended level by the manufacturer. Mixing sand with the deicer can also help break down the ice faster. As the sand becomes wet and freezes into chunks, they will easily break apart when the deicer is added. The sand can also add traction to slippery surfaces, preventing slips and falls.

Consider integrating a radiant heating system

You can’t control snow from falling on the surface of your driveway, but you can prevent it from accumulating and forming into solid ice. One of the best ways to achieve that is to install a radiant heating system in your driveway. This works with electricity or hot water to keep your driveway free of ice and snow. The expense may be a bit high upfront, but at the end of day, you won’t have to shovel snow again and risk damaging your driveway doing the process.

This article was contributed by one of the writers of Ace Driveways, a company that provides top-notch general groundwork services, such as block paving, patio and wall construction and turfing. They are also one of the best companies when it comes to construction of driveways Scotland folks can rely on.