Protect Your Driveway From Water Damage Like A Pro

Maintaining a home can seem like a full time job, especially once it has gotten some age on it. Every material that was used inside of, outside of, and surrounding your home when it was constructed is vulnerable to the test of time. Over the years, drastic temperature changes going from one season to the next and inclement weather that will come by from time to time will take it's toll on the materials used on your home, and while it may seem hard to believe, the concrete that was poured for your driveway is one of the most vulnerable of all of these materials used. If not maintained well, your driveway can fall victim to the horrific effects of water damage over a long period of time and before you realize it, you could easily be looking at the high cost of having a new driveway poured over the old one. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to protect your driveway from ever reaching this point.

Water is the single worst enemy of just about anything attached to your house. It can seep into just about any crevice and begin a deterioration process that can easily go unnoticed. With this in mind, you can see why it is so important to keep water from being able to penetrate the pores in your concrete. Since your driveway is outside and always exposed to the elements, you have to get creative in preventing excessive water and inclement weather from taking it's toll on the surface of the concrete.

A good drainage system that runs along the side or at the end of your driveway is a good way to prevent water from sitting atop the concrete for a period of time after the rain has stopped. Where this drainage system will be placed and how it will be setup will be determined by the slope of the land where the driveway is located and the location of your home in proximity to the driveway. The last thing that you want to do is create a possibility for your home to be more likely to experience water damage, so be sure that while you are focusing on motivating water to run off of your driveway easily that you also keep the thought of preventing it from running towards your home as well.

Maintaining your driveway is actually a pretty simple process. Since your primary goal is to protect your driveway from being penetrated by water, it only makes since that you keep a strong and effective sealant over the surface. An evenly spread layer of sealant should be placed over your driveway every two to three years to ensure that your concrete remains in excellent shape. Unless you are experienced in doing this and have the proper tools, you may want to consider hiring a professional to do this job for you. It can be fairly labor intensive and requires the person applying the sealant to be very patient and thorough.

With these few simple steps, you can keep your driveway protected from outside elements such as water and looking new for many years to come.

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