Your concrete is worth protecting
By Mitch Allen
It’s hard to imagine but Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and that means it’s our last chance to take care of some essential home maintenance tasks. These include having the furnace cleaned and checked, sealing drafts in windows and doors, having the fireplace inspected, checking the smoke detector batteries, cleaning the gutters, aerating the lawn, and cleaning and sealing the driveway.
For this last task, Pristine Clean founder Ken Wilson recommends having it done soon. “Not even our high-quality, commercial-grade concrete sealants are effective when applied in colder temperatures,” he explains. “That’s why it’s a good idea to have your driveway cleaned and sealed long before you carve that Thanksgiving turkey.”
Your Concrete Is Worth Protecting
So why bother cleaning and sealing your driveway? The answer is simple: protecting it is way cheaper than replacing it. “The cost of concrete and labor have soared over the past few years,” Ken says. “The average driveway now costs more than $12,000 to replace. That’s the average driveway.”
Part of this high price is rooted in a longtime concrete shortage, which has also encouraged manufacturers to cut corners by delivering lower-quality concrete to contractors. “That’ why today’s driveways are not the same quality as those poured many years ago,” Ken adds. “That also means they need extra protection from Northeast Ohio’s damaging freeze-thaw cycle to ensure a long life.”
Let’s Talk Science
So why is water damaging to concrete? “Because it penetrates into the tiny pores in your driveway then, when it freezes, it expands and takes up to nine percent more space, shattering your concrete.” Ken explains. “Our goal in sealing is to fill those tiny spaces so water cannot penetrate them, ensuring the integrity of your driveway, patio and walkways.”
Using high-tech walk-behind cleaning units, the techs at Pristine deep clean your concrete to clear it of dirt and contaminants. Then they apply a sealer made of silane-siloxane, which chemically reacts to create a hydrophobic barrier.
“Concrete is porous and the holes vary in size,” Ken says. “We use this unique combination because silane fills the small spaces, and siloxane expands into the bigger spaces. Plus, after the application, our sealer will mitigate staining and protect your driveway and walkways against further contaminants, such as oils and road salt.”
In addition to concrete clean and seal services, Pristine Clean also power washes homes and cleans and revitalizes roofs. If you haven’t had your home power washed this season, you can still get that done, too, and not have to look at the built-up grime, algae and moss all winter long.
So whether you call it stuffing or dressing, don’t put it on your Thanksgiving table until after you’ve called Pristine Clean.
Headquartered in Berea, Pristine Clean beautifies homes throughout Northeast Ohio. They are highly rated on Google, Facebook, and HomeAdvisor, and are rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Call 440-595-3958 to arrange for a free estimate, or visit PristineClean.com. All technicians are bonded, insured and certified by the Power Washers of North America.