5 Signs Your Driveway Needs Expert Attention

1. Cracks and Potholes

Damaged driveways will feature extensive cracks that signal it is time to replace it. Cracks develop more prominently on concrete and asphalt and

result from old age, impact, and frequent use of heavy machinery and vehicles.

Cracks offer gas and oil a path to seep under the driveway and cause more extensive damage. Also, moisture might creep inside and settle underneath. During winter, this moisture will freeze and expand, which can stress your driveway and develop further cracks.

Potholes result from the expansion and contraction of the ground beneath your driveway. Potholes can damage your vehicle's underside, wheels, and suspension if you drive over them recklessly.

You can opt for temporary repairs that might fill the cracks and potholes. However, this solution might only partially fix the underlying problem. With cracks, your technician must add a solvent-based sealer to reduce crack reappearance. Potholes require refurbishment with modern materials like liquid limestone that enhance the driveway's resistance to expansion and contraction.

2. Weed Growth

You can expect weed growth on the side of your driveway since the side can support these weeds. However, weed growth in the middle of your driveway should concern you. Plants breaking that hard shell of concrete or asphalt that protects your driveway highlight a problem with the driveway's foundation. The repair service must rework your driveway with a fresh installation to ensure they also repair the foundation.

3. Poor Drainage

Your driveway should easily redirect excess water into a drainage pipe or drainage line. If water pools on the driveway, it indicates that the surface is not angled correctly or sunken parts prevent water drainage. Excess water accumulation can damage your driveway further and even cause water damage to nearby house components and systems.

An expert can fix poor drainage with inlets that connect to your outlet drainage system. If the water damage has severely affected your driveway, you may need to refurbish it to eliminate the damage and install proper drainage components to increase free water flow.

4. Weathered Appearance

Your driveway experiences the effect of extreme weather conditions throughout its life. Factors like ultraviolet (UV) rays can oxidize the materials in your driveway and cause the color to fade. Also, constant use and exposure to chemicals can affect the original aesthetic quality of your driveway.

A driveway repair service can apply an asphalt or concrete sealant to your driveway to restore its original appearance. However, the repair firm should replace the entire driveway if the weathering has affected more than the appearance.

Also, your driveway will eventually succumb to its age and become irreversibly damaged. For example, asphalt driveways usually only last up to 20 years. The technician will have to reconstruct the driveway if age is the primary factor in weathering. This way, they can upgrade it with better and more modern materials that can increase its lifespan in the following decades.

5. Broken Edges

Broken edges appear from lack of maintenance and improper landscaping. Your driveway could benefit from a biannual sealant application to preserve its condition. Also, immediate repair of cracks and drainage issues can sustain the health of your driveway. Thus, an expert should always fill in cracked and chipped edges to prevent further degradation.

Contact us today at Morlock Landscape & Design for driveway repair and refurbishment services. We serve clients located in Naperville, IL, and surrounding areas.