Construction & Contractors Blog
To maintain a beautiful asphalt driveway leading to your home, having the surface resealed with a driveway sealcoating material is a must. While this is one of the most frequently done driveway maintenance projects, most homeowners have a lot of questions about the sealing process regarding weather conditions. Here is a look at a few things you may want to know.
Does cold weather make driveway sealcoating take longer to dry?
Driveway sealcoating will not dry properly if the temperature is too cold. Most professionals will only install the sealant material if the temperature is remaining above 50 degrees because the majority of products used will only adhere to the surface and cure properly at this temperature point. However, some sealcoating formulations are designed for application in cooler temperatures.
What happens if it rains right after driveway sealcoating?
The general rule is driveway sealcoating should only be installed if it is not expected to rain for at least 48 hours. When water gets on the sealcoating right after application, the material can actually break down and become more porous. Plus, the sealcoating may not completely cure and harden if it is exposed to a lot of moisture. For this reason, some driveway sealcoating services will also not install sealcoating when the humidity levels are extremely high.
Can sealcoat additives make the sealant more resilient to the weather?
Some contractors will utilize some type of additive to enhance the performance or the drying speed of the driveway sealer. For example, a hardener may be used if the sealant may otherwise be at risk of damage before it is completely cured due to the weather or some other factor. Likewise, some additives can make the driveway sealcoating a little more resilient to the weather once the sealer is cured. For instance, an additive may be used to make the sealant more resilient to ice and snow.
What season is best to have your driveway sealcoated?
In general terms, driveway sealcoating can be done any time between spring and fall in most parts of the country. Winter can be problematic because the temperatures may be too cold to allow for proper drying, as noted above. However, if you live in a climate that gets a lot of heavy rain or high humidity during certain points of the year, you may also have to plan for the sealing project around those undesirable weather conditions. A lot of homeowners prefer to have their driveway sealed in the fall, just before the weather changes.
For more information, contact driveway sealcoating services.
Share17 March 2021
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
