Driveway winter maintenance is one of the important steps that you take to protect your property during the winter. The snow, ice, and cold that the winter brings can be damaging if left unattended. Driveways and parking lots are some of the structures on your property that need special care during this time of the year.

If you take the proper steps to maintain your surface throughout the year, it will last longer and be safer for those using it. We are experts in helping you protect and preserve your property throughout the year. Follow these tips to properly care for your driveway or parking lot this winter.

7 Essential Parking Lot and Driveway Winter Care Tips

1. Clear Snow Regularly and Safely

The most important step in taking care of your driveway and parking lot in winter is to shovel the snow as soon as possible. After a while, snow turns into ice, creating hazards for your customers and visitors. Additionally, excess ice wears down the asphalt. Use a plastic shovel or a snow blower to shovel your pavement.

Hire a professional snow removal service for your commercial parking lot and get all snow taken care of in a safe and non-damaging way. Calibrate the blade of a mechanical snowplow so that it does not gouge your asphalt.

2. Use Asphalt-Safe De-Icing Products

Salt and other de-icing chemicals are useful for ice prevention. However, many popular de-icing products can be damaging to asphalt. Instead, use de-icers that are asphalt-safe such as magnesium chloride or calcium magnesium acetate. Not only will these substances be more gentle on your driveway’s surface, but they will also effectively melt away ice.

The use of harsh chemicals also can wear away your asphalt over time, so you may want to mix in sand or gravel to provide traction. Sand and gravel are a safe alternative and also should be part of your regular driveway winter maintenance plan.

3. Seal Cracks and Potholes

Cracks or potholes in your asphalt appear more significant during the winter freeze-thaw cycle. Water seeps into small cracks or potholes and expands as it freezes, leading to widening cracks or new potholes. Inspect your driveway and parking lot for damage before the season starts. If you are unable to get the driveway and parking lot patched before Winter, we can still help! Timely repairs can maintain your driveway’s or parking lot’s overall lifespan.

Sealing cracks and filling potholes with high-quality asphalt products can keep your surfaces better prepared for winter. Proactive maintenance is a crucial step in maintaining driveways during winter.

4. Maintain Proper Drainage

Standing water is one of the enemies of asphalt in the winter. Make sure your property is draining well to avoid pools of water on your driveway or parking lot. When water pools, it can freeze and create cracks and other surface damage.

Remove leaves and other debris from drains, gutters, and downspouts for better water flow. A good drainage system is one of the two foundations of proper driveway winter care.

5. Schedule Professional Maintenance

Most winter care practices are ones you can do by yourself. However, when it comes to the regular maintenance your asphalt surface needs, it’s best to call in the professionals. Productive Asphalt offers crack repair, sealcoating (new driveway installations and commercial customers only), and asphalt inspections, among other services.

Regular professional evaluations will let you know if issues arise, and you can implement solutions to your specific needs. It is important to work with professionals and make sure your driveway winter care is complete.

Why Choose Productive Asphalt for Parking Lot & Driveway Winter Care?

Winter can be harsh on asphalt surfaces, and that is why at Productive Asphalt we want to make sure your asphalt driveway or parking lot can get through it unscathed. For that reason we will do our best to assist you in making sure that your asphalt driveway or parking lot can not only last through this coming winter but also look as good as new. This is because we care about your asphalt and we want to make sure that you have everything you need to keep your driveway or parking lot functional, efficient, and looking amazing.

Productive Asphalt has been in the business for years and we take great pride in our work. This means that we can guarantee you that the results of our work are more than long-lasting and that we will stand by our products no matter what. In short, when you choose Productive Asphalt you are choosing quality, dependability, and service that will keep your driveway and parking lot in tip-top shape.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to protect your asphalt this winter season. Contact Productive Asphalt and let us help you with all your asphalt driveway or parking lot maintenance, advice, and repair needs. We will work together to ensure that your driveway or parking lot is as safe and sturdy as possible this winter season.