Every city has a different set of circumstances that make life easier or harder on your Driveway. A driveway is going to age considerably better in a climate with consistent temperature and humidity than in a city with unpredictable weather patterns. Ottawa is a great city for many things, but unfortunately not for driveways. Because of rapidly fluctuating temperatures and rampant salt use, in Ottawa driveways require more frequent re-sealing. How often? Read on to find out.

Ottawa’s Unique Driveway Situation

Ottawa gets very cold and dry in the winter, and hot and humid in the summer. In the fall and spring, we also experience rapid fluctuations between the two. This is a nightmare situation for Asphalt, and is one of the reasons that the city devotes such an enormous budget to pothole filling in the spring.

The worst time of the year for your driveway is the fall and spring, because of Ottawa’s frequent freeze-thaw cycles. Water will penetrate the porus surface of your driveway asphalt, and freeze. When it freezes, it will expand, making these ‘pores’ wider and wider, putting strain on your asphalt and weakening it. As your car drives over this weaker asphalt, it will further degrade it, leading to cracks, holes, and degradation.

If your driveway goes untreated into the winter, it will also become exposed to the salt your car drags in every day when you park. This salt mixes with water, penetrates your driveway, and further contributes to the weakening of your asphalt.

Preventing Driveway Damage

Because of Ottawa’s unique climate and salt usage, good driveway maintenance requires a little more work than in other cities. Normally, its recommended that you re-seal your driveway once every 4 years or so. In Ottawa, for best results it’s generally recommended to seal your driveway once every 2 years.

If you elect for high-quality sealant instead of the off-the-shelf variety, it’s often possible to extend your sealing schedule to 3 years.

The ProSeal Advantage

By hiring ProSeal to regularly seal your driveway, you gain access to materials that are only available to those who seal driveways on a commercial scale. Because we can purchase directly from our supplier and exhaust our supplies quickly, our sealant comes without the preservatives store-bought varieties need to stop from expiring off the shelf. Moreover, we offer an inexpensive alternative to investing an entire afternoon into the care of your driveway.

Fall is upon us, and soon it will be winter. If your driveway hasn’t been sealed in the last few years, it’s time to call ProSeal. Get in touch with us before the first freeze of the year to keep your driveway in the best shape possible.

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