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See How You Should Care for Your Newly Installed Asphalt Driveway

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If you installed an asphalt driveway just the other day, you need to know what you should do to maintain it in good shape. A driveway adds value to a home or business premises, but it can also deteriorate and become unsightly if it's poorly maintained. The fact that your asphalt driveway will wear with time doesn't mean you should not get some care guidelines for it from an expert. 

According to most driveway contractors, here's how you should care for your newly installed asphalt driveway.

Avoid Parking on It for Some Time

After installing an asphalt driveway, most people can't wait to park on it. They may be excited and want to see how their car would look on the new driveway or even snap some few photos and send them to their friends. However, parking your car on the new driveway could damage it in a big way. The car may compress some of the asphalt material and make your driveway uneven. 

When you have an uneven driveway, you will create a room for water pools that will eventually cause premature deterioration. Where possible, wait for about 5 days before you can park your car on the new driveway. If you have heavy equipment, such as a trailer, truck or bobcat, park them on the driveway after two weeks.

Cool the Driveway During the Hot Days

After installing the asphalt driveway, you might not know how to care for it during the first few months. One way to care for your new driveway includes maintaining the right temperatures to help it cure properly. 

Asphalt usually softens during the sunny or hot days, and this affects the curing process in a big way. For this reason, it's advisable to spray some cold water on it before you park your car. The cold water keeps the asphalt hard and helps it to resist damage.

Avoid Rock Salt

When ice forms on the new asphalt driveway, most people use rock salt to melt it. They forget that this salt doesn't work on every surface. For instance, most experts don't recommend rock salt on asphalt because it slowly breaks down its outer sealer layer. 

When the outer layer is broken down, the asphalt surface looks pitted and dull. For this reason, use de-icing agents that won't cause damage to your asphalt. Most of these agents come in liquid form and they help melt ice without having a negative effect on the driveway.

Installing an asphalt driveway is a great investment for every homeowner. However, most of them aren't able to keep it in perfect shape for a long time. But if you take the three maintenance tips above seriously, you could keep your driveway looking new.

For more information, contact an asphalt driveway service in your area.


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