Winter is fast approaching and you can expect the weather to start becoming colder as the days go by. You’d usually get sweaters and warm chocolate for the impending cold front, but remember that your paving deserves some love as well. So we’ve put together some great ways you can make winter far more bearable for your pavement.
What Makes Winter So Dangerous For Your Pavement?
You might be wondering why winter is so dangerous for your pavement. Unlike summer who’s heat can slowly bake your it in the heat, winter is a relatively mild season that doesn’t seem like a big problem for the regular pavement owner. Don’t let that cold facade fool you as winter has its own arsenal of pavement ruining tools.
The Cold
Winter’s biggest danger is the cold. In areas like Texas, and Arizona winter can get the temperatures as low as 44 degrees. This might not sound like much but it’s enough to chill your pavement and make it more brittle. Any large or heavy impacts on it will become long lasting as it will not be able to adapt to it.
Water and Frost
The generally low temperature of the winter season makes water more dangerous than it already is for your pavement. The reason for this is that water is more dangerous when it’s cold rather than warm.
Water in the pavement will slowly freeze during the night where it’s coldest and thaw during the day when the sun is out. This constant freezing and thawing will slowly create gaps in your it that can become an issue over the course of multiple winters.
How to Protect Your Pavement From The Cold
The cold in general will be hard to safeguard your pavement from, but with the right knowledge you’ll be able to keep your it in top condition even after the harshest of winters. We’ve put together everything you need to keep your it strong despite the chill in the air.
Look for Cracks and Immediately Seal Them
Cracks are not only unsightly when you find them on your pavement, they are also places where water can seep in. Once water gets in those cracks, winter’s cold weather will cause the freezing and thawing reaction that we talked about earlier. Have them filled out to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Regularly Sealcoat Your Pavement
Sealcoating is the protective layer around your pavement that makes sure water and cracks don’t damage the it underneath. Regularly applying it to it will make sure that the amount of water that gets into your it is at a minimum. Normally sealcoating for asphalt pavements will need to be done every three to five years. Concrete pavements on the other hand can be sealcoated every ten years.
Watch out For Pooling Water
Even with the best sealcoating, your pavement will still be at risk of water damage during the winter. This is especially true if you let water pool on top of it. Pooling water is caused by an uneven paving. Eventually these uneven areas can even cause potholes to develop. Make sure you look out for spots where water pools and have those areas balanced out by your paving contractor.
