A clear driveway gives your household a safe and accessible path in and out of the home and helps maintain the visual appeal of the entire property. However, even the occasional snow or ice that comes with a North Carolina winter can make a driveway a potential safety hazard, creating a slick surface and jeopardizing the integrity of the pavement. To maintain your driveway this winter, follow these three tips.

How to Maintain Your Driveway in the Winter

1. Promptly Remove Snow

As soon as possible after a winter weather event, shovel the drive. Be sure to clear away the bottom-most layer until you can see the asphalt surface. Leaving even a slight covering of snow can be slippery for both cars and people, and this layer will only be compacted as winter goes on, creating an even thicker—and slicker—sheet. Also, leaving snow to build up can cause it to permeate into surface cracks once it melts; if the water refreezes, it will expand and worsen the cracks.

2. Don't Use Rock Salt

If you need to deice the driveway, don't use rock salt. Rock salt speeds up the freeze-thaw cycle, so it will cause the ice to rapidly melt into water and seep into cracks, where it will freeze again and contract. Cracks can deepen, and potholes can develop. Even if your driveway has no visible cracks, asphalt is porous and can still absorb some of the damaging salt.

Instead, sprinkle icy spots with sand or cat litter; these don't act as deicers, but they offer traction to help you safely navigate the area.

3. Sealcoat the Surface

Before winter weather arrives, sealcoat the driveway. Sealcoating supplies a protective barrier for the drive, shielding it from water penetration, as well as from oils and sun damage. The application process is fairly fast, and it only takes a couple of days to dry during the colder months of the year.

When you need sealcoating in the Thomasville, NC, area, trust the driveway professionals at Quality Asphalt & Seal Coating. For over 25 years, they have been providing residential and commercial paving services. Whether you need a touchup on your sealcoat or a full asphalt replacement, they have the solutions to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Call (336) 476-9384 or visit them online to request an estimate.