Salt Surfaces Sparingly This Winter To Keep Level Concrete Slabs Pristine

In the last twenty years, Houston has only seen snow a mere dozen times. Of those twelve, only four of the occasions accumulated any snow on the ground and only two were more than an inch. That likely means that Houstonians don’t need to take big steps in preparation for the winter. Even if there is a deep freeze at night, the next morning’s sun almost always brings temperatures back up above freezing and thaws out any ice accumulation.

Few Freezes Per Year Is Good News For Your Concrete Driveways and Concrete Sidewalks

Last year’s deep freeze caught a lot of Texans off guard. Houston was ground to a halt for over a week as power went out due to consistent freezing temperatures late last winter. The fact of the matter is, however, that this occurrence is a once in a century storm and is not likely to be seen again in our lifetimes. All that road salt you stocked up on in February 2021 is probably going to be sitting in your garage or shed for years or decades to come. 

The fact that Houston temperatures rarely drop below freezing is something that most of us probably take for granted. We don’t have to worry about dealing with the tedious routine of shoveling snow or breaking up and salting ice. Thank goodness! The time saved from doing this is welcomed by almost every Texan who gets to stay in bed a little longer every morning instead of dealing with the cold.

 Your concrete appreciates the more temperate conditions as well. All That snow and ice can be devastating to the condition of driveways and sidewalks. Not to mention the constant freeze and thaw cycle which transforms the soil day in and day out constantly expanding and contracting. 

How To Seal Your Level Concrete Slabs In Houston

When conditions don’t call for deicing or constant salting of roads and sidewalks, maintenance and upkeep changes drastically. All that salt that other parts of the country throw on their roads and driveways to keep ice off can be very destructive toward road asphalt and the concrete surfaces that make up driveways, sidewalks and many roads.

1. Without that erosion from salt eating away your concrete, there isn’t just need to treat your concrete with a sealer. Just making sure water doesn’t get underneath your level concrete slabs is all that is necessary to make sure your concrete doesn’t start to sink, settle or break apart. 
2. Water underneath your concrete allows for soil to move around more freely. This can cause voids to form underneath driveways and sidewalks which will in turn accelerate concrete slabs cracking and breaking apart.
3. That means that your expansion joints need to be properly maintained to guarantee a proper seal. This will prevent water from getting underneath your level concrete slabs and prevent the acceleration of soil erosion, pockets or voids forming and the eventuality of sinking and settling concrete occurring.

How To Most Efficiently Prepare Yourself For The Unexpected

There is rarely snow on the ground here in Houston, true, but temperatures reach freezing more than a few nights a year on average. With freezing temperatures occurring at night time around ten times a year, there is some concern when it comes to freezing rain or driving on slick roads. 

• The best thing to do when these rare conditions are affecting driving conditions is keep your vehicle maintained to combat winter weather and drive safely.
•  Cold nights icing up sidewalks will likely occur a few times each year. Something simple like putting out a “slick conditions” or “icy walkway” sign may be all that is needed to prevent harm from slips or falls.
  •  This may also prevent legal action taken against a property owner if injury occurs from icy conditions.
• As we saw last year, being prepared with a backup generator, space heaters and extra blankets can be a lifesaver if and when the grid goes down.

Trust Tilted Concrete Solution With Your Expansion Joint Repair And Seal

Don’t waste money preparing for something that history tells us is unlikely to happen again for a hundred years or so.  Why waste money on a full concrete sealer when it’s just not needed?. Spend your money on upkeep and maintenance where it’s needed. Get your expansion joints repaired this fall before winter strikes to guarantee your level concrete slabs will be fully prepared for any Houston climate conditions! Give us a call today to get your concrete driveways and sidewalks leveled and expansion joints sealed.