Protect your driveway

If you’ve ever had a canned or bottled drink explode because it was left too long in the freezer, you’ve experienced an unusual scientific phenomenon: Water is one of the few liquids in the universe that expands rather than contracts when it freezes.

If water contracted like every other liquid, it would sink rather than float. Lakes and oceans would freeze from the bottom up, destroying aquatic life.

This is good news for our planet, but bad news for your driveway.

“Concrete is porous,” explains Pristine Clean founder Ken Wilson. “When water enters those pores and freezes, it expands—shattering the concrete. This continual freezing, thawing and freezing again creates chipping, cracking and flaking of concrete, eventually leading to expensive replacement of your driveway.”

One way to dramatically extend the life of your driveway is to regularly clean and seal it. This stops water from penetrating concrete in the first place.

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 has soared over the past few years,” Ken says. “The average driveway now costs more than $15,000 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’s 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.”

As with any powerful equipment, knowing how to use power washing equipment is important. That’s why Pristine technicians undergo classroom and in-the-field training, and a comprehensive apprenticeship program. “Safety is a huge part of our company culture,” Ken says. “We’re constantly training and investing in new technology to ensure the safety of our employees and our customers’ homes and properties.”

Using the Right Sealant

Pristine Clean cleans and protects all exterior surfaces of your home, including concrete, siding and roofs. And regardless of the surface being cleaned, after every power wash comes the important task of sealing.

“It’s best to use only the highest quality sealers and protectants,” Ken says. “For concrete, we use a top-of-the-line silane/siloxane sealer, which penetrates deep into the concrete aggregate to protect it from within. We call this service our ‘Concrete Wash & Seal,’ but it also includes rinsing. Some companies skip the rinsing stage, but it’s an important step to maximize the performance of the sealant.”

Flat-Rate Pricing

Unlike home improvement companies that quote high prices and hope you don’t negotiate, Pristine employs a single low, flat-rate price based on the square footage of the job. And you can get an over-the-phone quote because the customer service pros can see your home on a Google Earth-style software program and give you an accurate quote on the phone.

“This means everyone gets the same low per-square-foot rate,” Ken assures. “You pay what your neighbors pay.”

Headquartered in Berea, Pristine Clean beautifies and protects homes throughout Northeast Ohio. The company is highly rated on Google, Facebook, and HomeAdvisor, and is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. Call 440-454-7041 to arrange for a free estimate or visit PristineClean.com. All technicians are bonded, insured and certified by the Power Washers of North America.