Making a driveway is a costly long-term project. So you should make it go through the best process so that it gets proper longevity. It is crucial to consider the proper time for sealing a driveway. Even you may have to wait several months to get a suitable time to dry the driveway.
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What are the problems with sealing a driveway in the winter?
Several issues with your driveway can arise if you make it at the wrong time. Winter is not suitable for applying sealer. Following the reasons, you can easily understand why winter is not suitable.
Slow drying process
Every driveway sealer needs to be dried. If you apply a sealant to the driveway today, you can start using it after 2–3 days because it takes about 48–72 hours to dry.
If the weather is sunny and the temperature is more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the driveway will be dry within 12 hours. So, your driveway must get sufficient sunlight to dry quickly.
Winter is the season when the sun is not seen for several days. Sometimes the sunlight is hard to see, and this is why drying a driveway is also impossible. As a result, you can fail to dry the driveway quickly.
As a result, every homeowner should seal coat their driveways during the summer. Therefore, the driveways can be dried and become usable quickly.
Costly
If your driveway is not properly treated, it cannot be cost-effective. Perfectly sunny weather is necessary for drying the driveway quickly. But, in the winter or rainy season, the driveway becomes deficient, and it cannot be ready to be used.
Furthermore, it needs extra care to dry quickly. You may use an electric fan to blow sufficient wind onto the driveway surface. Moreover, an imperfect drying process does not seal the driveway properly, so you may find some cracks in the driveway in the future.
Damages from automotive fluids
The automotive fluids in the driveway may leak. Thus, the fluids can soften the asphalt sealer. Moreover, the fluids may decrease your driveway’s standard by mixing with it. So you must dry the driveway quickly; perhaps the summer is the best time for the process.
Less durability
The sunlight is an appropriate solution for decreasing the possibility of damaging the asphalt sealer quickly. If proper sunlight does not come, the driveway becomes damp for an extended time. It is a significant barrier to starting to use the driveway.
FAQs
- What is the ideal temperature to seal a driveway?
It is possible to seal a driveway when it is getting a little sunlight. But the best way to dry the sealer quickly is to seal it at a high temperature. The best temperatures range from 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if your driveway area does not receive enough sunlight, it must be at least 50 degrees.
- How cold is too cold to seal a driveway?
Under 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, temperatures are inappropriate for sealing a driveway. The low temperature cannot make the driveway dry quickly. Too-hot temperature is also harmful because it has a bad effect on the driveway’s color. So, a balanced temperature is always appropriate for keeping the driveway safe.
Final thoughts
Experts suggest sealing a driveway before the winter or rainy season starts. For the best experience of sealing the driveway, August can be the best month. However, if you are passing through the winter season, you should choose the spring to take your time and properly seal the driveway.
