Should You Seal Your Driveway? Factors To Consider

When you are a homeowner, you have numerous home improvement and maintenance tasks to worry about on a regular basis, including your driveway. Keeping your driveway in good shape is beneficial to your home and your life in many ways. It can help to keep your vehicles in good shape, prevent tripping and falling when walking on it, and of course, improve the overall appearance of your home. One of the factors that you will need to consider in your driveway maintenance is whether or not you want to seal your driveway. Get to know some of the factors to consider when you are deciding if you should seal your driveway. Then, you can be sure you do what is best for you and your home.

The Age of Your Driveway

One of the factors to consider when you are thinking about sealing your driveway is how old your driveway is. Pavement, whether concrete or asphalt, is only designed to last so long. Concrete can last up to 30 years if properly maintained, while asphalt tends to have a shorter lifespan.

If your driveway is encroaching upon its maximum lifespan, you may want to hold off on the driveway sealing process. It is likely that your driveway will need to be replaced in the near future, and you do not want to waste your time or your money on sealcoating a driveway that will be torn up soon anyway.

On the other hand, if your driveway is relatively new or "middle-aged," then sealing it can help to increase its longevity and keep it in good condition going forward. Generally, sealing a driveway every few years will be sufficient to maintain your driveway.

The Condition of Your Driveway

Another factor to consider when you are thinking about sealing your driveway is what condition your driveway is in. Sealing works best when a driveway is in good condition. This does not mean that it has to be perfect or pristine, but it should not have major holes, be completely covered in cracks, or the like.

If you do have a few cracks or pits in your driveway, you will first want to fill those cracks or pits. This will help to stabilize the concrete or asphalt and prevent the damage from getting worse. Once the filler is set, you can seal your driveway, keeping it in the best possible condition for as long as possible.

Now that you know some of the factors to consider when you are thinking about sealing your driveway, you can contact a company like Oregon Paving Co as soon as possible to get your driveway sealed.