Although driveways are meant to last for a long time, they are prone to damage. A crumbling or damaged driveway reduces the curb appeal of your home and consequently impacts its value. Again, with severe weather changes, you may need to replace your driveway if the damage gets out of hand or if repairs can’t work anymore. In locations such as Darlington, severe winter and summer changes can gradually damage your driveway. Repairing may be your best fit at first, but replacement becomes necessary as the damages worsen. Check out for these signs that indicate it’s time to call a Darlington Driveway installation company to replace your driveway.
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Deep cracks
Cracks are a common damage issue with concrete and asphalt driveways. On many occasions, things such as de-icing salt, oil, gas, water, and other substances penetrate the driveway’s surface and deepen the cracks with time. For instance, during extreme winters, water may seep into the deep crevices and expand while freezing. Superficial cracks may not be detrimental to your driveway’s functioning, but its appearance may not be appealing. Deeper cracks that cause the concrete to spread like 1/2inches apart are a problem, and the damage worsens as your vehicle regularly uses the driveway. In such a case, you need a complete driveway replacement to reinforce its functionality.
Potholes
While cracks reduce the driveway’s appeal and worsen with time, potholes are even more problematic for your car. Having to go through the potholes every day affects your suspension system and can damage your tires. Potholes on driveways form when the surface beneath starts to contract and expand. As a result, the concrete material on top of the surface begins to weaken, wear out, crack, and ultimately crumbles to form a pothole.
While a small pothole can be filled, that doesn’t solve the problem of contraction and expansion on the surface underneath, and with time it shows up again. It is necessary to remove the driveway materials and repair the underlying ground to prevent such a problem. Replacing the driveway is a good solution, especially if there are countless potholes and the driveway is old.
Drainage problems
If your driveway has drainage issues, that often leads to more damage. If it is uneven or sloped, water will be pooling on specific areas, which gradually weakens the driveway. You will notice that cracks and potholes will begin forming on spots where water tends to gravitate. Many people opt for repairs to fix driveway issues such as creating water outlets, but that is if there is less damage. On the other hand, if bigger cracks and potholes are already in place, you need to install a new driveway instead of adding features to an overly damaged driveway.
Advanced age
Although a concrete driveway can last for more than 25years, weather extremities such as very hot summers and freezing winters can affect its lifespan. If your driveway is at an advanced age, a replacement is necessary to save some more money and time in the future.
Excessive repairs
If your driveway requires a repair every now and then, it is best to replace it. Repairs affect the appeal of the driveway and tend to result in other problems in the future. Skip the hassle of repairs every time and have a new driveway installation.
The takeaway
Do not waste time and money trying to patch up a driveway that is past its functional lifespan. A new driveway installation solves your problems for the better.