Make sure your outdoor concrete patio remains enjoyable for years to come, even though the weather outside is dreadful. Concrete patio designs may withstand a lot of wear and tear, lasting much longer than other building materials. Still, when the temperatures drop, the integrity and elegance of your patio can be compromised. As the temperature drops, use these winter concrete safety tips to secure your investment as well as your home’s curb appeal and real estate value.
The Significance of Winter Concrete Maintenance
Concrete is a porous material. If your patio isn’t insulated or has damage or gaps that allow moisture to seep in, the water can quickly penetrate the concrete’s pores. Then the cold weather sets in. When water freezes, it expands by approximately 9%. The pressure created by expanding ice can reach 100,000 pounds per square inch (PSI), creating tiny cracks and fissures in your patio. The cycle repeats itself and gets increasingly worse when your patio freezes and thaws regularly.
This may result in:
· Larger holes, allowing even more water to enter
· A patio that is less durable and has the potential for rough surfaces (creating a potential safety hazard)
· The appearance of stamped and stained concrete is being affected by flaking concrete surface parts.
And that’s just the beginning. Many typical winter home maintenance habits can exacerbate the damage to your patio. When you use salt to melt slippery ice sheets, for example, the salt will harm your patio’s appearance and power. Thankfully, astute homeowners like you can anticipate and fix winter concrete harm.
The Fundamentals of Winter Concrete Maintenance
1. Conduct a thorough examination of your patio.
Since the freeze-thaw cycle is one of the leading causes of concrete destruction, it’s critical to get ahead of the problem by promptly fixing cracks in your patio. Inspect the concrete surface of your patio for any signs of damage:
· Hairline cracks or fine lines
· Cracks that are larger
· Peeling and chipping of the surface
Fill in any small cracks or fractures with a flexible concrete sealant that bonds to the concrete and remains flexible and solid as temperatures change. Call a concrete repair professional if you find more severe damage, such as massive fractures or significant parts of your stamped concrete design missing. Before making surface repairs or cosmetic fixes, it’s essential to have a competent concrete contractor resolve any stability or structural problems.
2. Maintain a consistent resealing schedule.
The frequency with which you should have your patio resealed is determined by the type of concrete sealer you used when it was first installed. Many topical sealers have a three- to five-year lifespan, while penetrating sealers have a much longer lifespan.
How to tell if you need to reseal your concrete:
- For more details on the lifetime of your sealant, speak with a professional concrete contractor.
- Check the penetrating sealer by doing the following: Pour some water onto your patio to see if the concrete absorbs it.
- Ensure your topical sealer is up to date: It’s probably time to reseal it if it’s peeling, cracked, or has lost its gloss/color.
Remember that maintaining your sealant’s health is much less expensive than having to fix and replace a water-damaged concrete patio.
3. Before de-icing, practice ice avoidance.
If your patio has frozen over, don’t go out and buy a bag of de-icing salt right away. Salting the concrete patio causes several issues:
- Salt potentially increases the possibility of moisture (now in liquid form) seeping into your concrete by melting snow and ice.
- Salt has no impact on the freeze-thaw period.
- Salt will corrode the rebar in your concrete, compromising the overall strength and protection of your patio.
A strong offensive is the best winter safety. Prevention and repair without the use of salt are still preferable for your concrete:
- Keep an eye on where and how waterfalls on your patio and what you can do about it. Is there any runoff from your yard’s higher points? And take action to rectify the situation.
- After each snowfall, shovel the snow away until it hardens into unhealthy, difficult-to-remove ice.
- Sand your patio; this won’t get rid of the ice, but it will make it much less slippery.
All year long, protect your substantial investment.
A concrete patio will provide decades of enjoyment for you and your family. On the other hand, Concrete patios need advanced care and maintenance, as we’ve already mentioned. Thus, partner with us for professional guidance, repair, and renewal of your new patio. Request a free consultation today!