What are Freeze-Thaw Cycles?Freeze-thaw cycle is the continuous cooling and warming of water. When water or moisture seeps into the porous concrete, it will freeze due to the chilly weather. When water becomes ice, it expands. The pressure from that expansion causes the surrounding concrete to weaken. When the ice melts, it returns back to its original volume but the expansion has already loosened the slab itself. What Does it Do to the Concrete Driveway?Freeze-thaw damage is one of the most problematic types of concrete issues. Most of the time, the expansion happens within the slab so it can quite difficult to deal with. Common issues caused by freeze-thaw cycles include:
Immediate SolutionDeicers are effective in loosening ice and snow and enhancing the traction of a concrete surface. Although the most popular is salt, it has several harmful effects on the concrete, the environment, as well as to people and animals. Use an alternative, such as rubbing alcohol, an electric snow blower, or the traditional manual shoveling. Things to Do Before the Next Winter ComesSeal your concrete driveway. The sealer acts as a protective barrier that keeps water from getting absorbed into the pores of the concrete. The water will stay on the surface, thus, preventing it from freezing and thawing within the slab. But make sure that you repair any damage incurred from the last winter season before applying a coating of concrete sealer. Freeze-thaw damage is scary but very preventable. Unfortunately, some people who don’t understand what it is is blaming the damages caused to be an error in the mixture and installation of the concrete itself. Now that you understand what freeze-thaw cycles are and its effects on a concrete driveway, make sure to seal all other concrete surfaces in your homes, such as the patio, pool deck, walkway, and more. It may be an additional expense on your part but prevention is a lot cheaper than repair. The post Freeze-Thaw Cycle and its Effects on a Concrete Driveway appeared first on Denver Concrete Artisans. from https://www.denverconcreteartisans.com/effects-of-freeze-thaw-cycle-on-concrete-driveway/
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ABOUT USDenver Concrete Artisans installs stamped concrete, stained concrete, acid stains, epoxy flooring concrete polishing and other colored concrete coatings and overlays for pool decks, patios, driveways, garage floors and interior concrete floors. We are a decorative concrete resurfacing contractor / company that works with both residential and commercial projects and we service the entire Denver, Colorado area. |