Connecticut winters are hard on outdoor surfaces. Water gets into small cracks and joints, freezes, expands, and slowly pries them open. Add road salt and snow shovels, and a driveway can lose years of life in one bad season. A little attention in the fall makes a real difference.
First, seal the cracks. Fill small cracks in concrete and asphalt before the first freeze so water can't get in. For concrete that's a few years old, a penetrating sealer helps it shed water and resist salt. For pavers, check that the joint sand is full, and top it up where it's washed out.
Next, check drainage. Make sure downspouts empty away from walkways and driveways, and look for low spots where water puddles. Puddles turn into ice sheets in January and do the most freeze-thaw damage. Grading or a small drain fixes the problem for good.
Finally, be careful with deicers. Rock salt is especially rough on newer concrete. Use calcium magnesium acetate or sand on concrete less than a year old, shovel before you salt, and use a plastic shovel edge on pavers. If you see damage when the snow melts, call us in the spring before it spreads.