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One morning you wake up, roll out of bed and stroll outside, coffee in hand. Your mission is to retrieve the rolled-up newspaper at the end of the driveway. The sun is shining, the morning dew is still fresh on the grass and the neighborhood dogs are jumping around, ready to be walked. You wave hello to Mrs. Johnson as she power-walks by and you take a sip of your coffee. From your peripheral you spot a family of ducks waddling across your driveway on their way to the lake, you smile as life is good. As you reach down to get the paper, that’s when you notice the dreaded cracks in your driveway. Suddenly life isn’t so good anymore. Cracks lead to potholes, and potholes lead to busted tires and a bad time for everyone including the ducks.

Cold Weather Causes Driveway Cracks

Although Florida does not technically have a winter, we still experience overnight temperatures that dip into the high 30s.  The cold months are a main reason why cracks form in asphalt. The natural processes and reactions that occur due to lower temperatures have a clear causal effect on the amount and depth of cracks in your driveway.

All asphalt is susceptible to cracks forming through changes in moisture retention and temperature changes. After a heavy downpour of rain, the settled rainwater can seep through tiny cracks in the surface and into the area below. As it gets colder the water will expand and cause cracks to form in asphalt. As the temperature in South Florida can shift upwards of 20 degrees overnight, that’s a lot of expansion and contraction that your asphalt can be subjected to. The cycle of cooling and warming creates the lion’s share of the most cracks, but your driveway, parking lot, carport, or other surfaces can still fall victim to asphalt cracking year-round.

It’s Getting Hot in Here

While the cold winter months can cause a high volume of asphalt cracking, the other end of the spectrum can be just as hazardous. Living in South Florida we are well aware of just how hot it can get in the summer months. The surface temperature can easily reach triple digits if there is no tree or other coverage for the driveway.

This extreme heat causes expansion of the asphalt, the resulting pressure causing tiny cracks to form. During the peak times in the summer, where the days are longer and the temperatures climb to dangerous levels, the heat can also begin to create cracks in your asphalt. If left untreated, these cracks can spread and expand into much larger problems.

Ground Shifting

Yet another cause of asphalt cracks appearing is as a direct result of the movement of the earth beneath your asphalt. Most asphalt driveways are laid on top of a layer of gravel and sand. Throughout the lifetime of the driveway, the underlayer can shift due to soil erosion, moisture levels, and even seismic activity. The sheer force of cars driving on the surface for years can also cause the driveway to warp over time, leading to cracks. The gravel will shift and cause cracks to form as the ground soil begins to settle.

The Asphalt’s Age

The age of your asphalt plays a large role in its overall susceptibility to damage. The older your asphalt is, the more likely it is to develop cracks. As it gets further along, the material begins to degrade and loses its natural ability to withstand your surface’s daily pressures. So, when that significant rainfall and heat mixed with occasional cold, older driveways are more likely to suffer damage.

Every homeowner hates seeing cracks develop in their driveways. It makes getting out the door and on the way to work more challenging than it needs to be and can lead to ripped or even punctured tires or busted rims.  It may seem that there is little you can do to combat crack formation but the professionals at Mean Green Power Clean will gladly tell you that there are still steps you can take to keep your driveway looking its best.

Mean Green Power Clean’s Driveway Sealing Services

Regularly Monitor For Cracks

As time moves on, keeping an eye out for cracks as they start to form can help you stay on top of them before they snowball. If you see cracks developing, you can call in the Superior Seal Coating team to fill the cracks before becoming a full-blown pothole.

Seal Your Driveway

One of the best ways to protect your driveway from cracking, oil damage, and general wear tear remains by sealing it regularly. The recommendation is to have your driveway sealed once every three years to get the maximum protection from potential damage and keep your driveway’s pristine appearance.

Having a regular maintenance routine in place is essential to keep the cracks from spreading. For the cracks that become too much for you to handle on your own, calling in Mean Green Power Clean to assess and address the issue is your best course of action.

There are many problems that can follow when you don’t have your pavers or driveway sealed. When there are cracks in your driveway, weeds and other vegetation can easily grow in their place causing more problems down the line. Similarly, the same problem can occur in between the tiling of pavers.

When you hire Mean Green Power Clean to seal your driveway and pavers, we are performing professional preventative maintenance for you while at the same time increasing property value.

Driveway sealer repels water – the most problematic element that contributes to the progressive destruction of your driveway. Water is what helps driveways crack with the added pressure of cars constantly parked on them. Cold temperatures can also expand these cracks and although we live in Florida, there are still some cold days that exist in the winter. Besides water, however, sunlight also hastens the corrosion of your driveway, which is all the more reason to have us apply a sealer to your driveway.

Sealing your pavers also prevents future problems from occurring. If you don’t seal your pavers, they will deteriorate. You can have your pavers cleaned regularly but that will only postpone the problem. Also, if you’re too late in noticing a stain or stains on your pavers then simple cleaning won’t be enough to remove them. When your pavers are sealed, they’re receiving a layer of protection (water, oil, sun protection, etc.)

Call Mean Green Power Clean For All Your Driveway Sealing Services

When you’re ready to make your commercial property look the best it’s been in a long time, don’t hesitate at all in hiring the professionals over at Mean Green Power Clean today. Mean Green has been trusted by countless individuals in the Palm Beach and Broward County region to provide them with the quality cleaning they need. We feel confident that when you hire Mean Green Power Clean, you’ll be happy with our work as you’re added to our growing list of satisfied customers. For any inquiries, you may call Mean Green Power Clean at 954.629.6760 or visit their contact page.