October Maintenance Tips

Home Maintenance
From season to season, I'll post relevant maintenance tips for your home.  These will be typical areas for most do-it-yourselfers, however, if you feel something might be better handled by one of our professionals, let me know and I'll be glad to give you my best opinion on your situation.  

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Jim Walker
There you have it!  Sealed cracks and the sealant lasts for several years.

Again, if we can be of any assistance to you on any items you don't feel comfortable doing yourself, just contact me for an appointment.

Thanks, Jim Walker
Home Maintenance Archives...................................Hurricane Preparedness
Concrete Cracks
Oh, those pesky cracks!  If you have a concrete driveway, you have cracks.    If you don't, you are in the vast minority.  They usually start out as a hairline crack, barely noticable.  But then...one year later, you notice it to be quite a bit wider.  As the cracks are left untreated, water continues to flow into the crack, undermining the dirt underneath and freezing weather just adds to the problem.  It's at this point you wish you would have sprung for pavers!


Well folks, it's only going to get worse.....I should know, these are my cracks!   I know, I know....do as I say, not as I do!!  Now what?  Well, it's really not too difficult at this point.  But it may wear out your knees and back...again...I know this all too well.  Here's how I addressed my driveway cracks. 

I bought a self leveling concrete sealant as shown
here to the right.  This is available at Lowe's or
Home Depot, or better yet, one of the local 
hardware stores here in Gulf Shores.  

It's important that the cracks are clean of debris, 
in and around the area.  Wind will blow debris 
into the wet sealant where it can become 
unsightly.  It's also vital for it to have been dry 
several days prior to filling the cracks.  Moisture
in the concrete will get sucked into the sealant, 
leaving air bubbles after it dries.  

If the cracks are a bit wide, use some fine grain 
sand to fill within a 1/4" of the top of the crack.
If you don't, sealant will keep sinking into a deep
crack, requiring you to re-fill several times.

Cut a small diameter hole at the tip of the sealant on a slight angle and start
filling the cracks.  Be sure and turn off your sprinkler system for at least a day.
 


All concrete is guaranteed.....to crack.
It's not if....it's when!
If you don't seal these cracks, they WILL get larger.
If the crack is too wide, you may need to fill the crack
with sand, about 3/4 full, then apply the sealant.
Picture Yourself Here!
Alabama's Gulf Coast
Home Maintenance
Building Beautiful Homes along the 
Alabama Gulf Coast since 1988
James Walker Homes
3662 Prestwick Circle
Gulf Shores, Alabama 
      251-752-2088
   
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