Clean Concrete is Long-lasting Concrete.

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that clean concrete is long lasting concrete. I will explain why that is. 

A common myth out there is that salt is the sole culprit for chipping, flaking and cracking your concrete if used during the winter to melt ice and snow. Although it is true that salt is not good for your concrete, the real problem is that the salt turns the ice into water. We think that concrete is hard but it does in fact have pores that allow it to absorb this water. Then the colder temperatures come along and the water that is absorbed into the surface of your concrete freezes again. The expanding of the freezing water that has absorbed into the concrete is what causes the surface to flake off. This same water can also get into the cracks or control joints, freezing there as well and putting pressure on the crack. This makes the crack even wider. 

This is why it is important to never let the ice and snow build up on your outdoor concrete in the first place. Keeping your concrete clean and free of ice and snow right from the beginning of winter can save you lots of headache. A high quality surface sealer as well as sealing those joints and cracks gives you another layer of protection and that extra peace of mind to make your winter a relaxing one!