Autumn is well and truly underway. It’s the time of year for dragging jumpers and boots out of our wardrobes. We get to watch the leaves change from bright greens to flaming reds and oranges. But it’s also the time of year for those leaves to fall. When they do, they create a beautiful natural mosaic on our driveways and patios.
But as gorgeous as they are to look at, these leaves, along with moss and algae, can wreak havoc on our outdoor spaces, including driveways and patios. They can make surfaces slippery, and they can also cause damage and staining. It also aids in premature grout deterioration. This paves the way for frost and ice damage, including cracking and causing slabs to become loose.
If you want to prevent all of these issues from occurring, then you need to tackle those autumn leaves, as well as moss and algae. But these are rife at this time of year. In this article, we’ll be telling you why it’s important to maintain your outdoor surfaces, how to do it and how to protect patios and driveways from becoming dirty in future years.
Moss, algae and fallen leaves will cause several problems. This includes the look and structural integrity of your patio and driveway. When leaves fall, they trap moisture underneath, therefore creating the perfect environment for moss and algae to form and thrive. Over time, these organisms will make surfaces slippery, discolour paving slabs and cause the surface to erode over time.
They can also cause cracking if the trapped moisture freezes in ungrouted or damaged areas. If you tackle the issue of leaves, moss and algae early, then you can help to protect the appearance and the performance of your driveway and/or patio for the entire season. It will also make your life easier come spring. Spring is when you go out and do your annual garden clean-up after winter.
Keeping your driveway and/or patio clean and tidy throughout the autumn and winter is often done on a step-by-step basis. There are a few jobs you need to do before the actual cleaning of the surface can take place. Let’s take a look at how you can easily keep your driveway and patio clean over the autumn and into the winter, maintaining its gorgeous appearance right through until spring.
Falling leaves trap moisture. As already touched upon, this creates the perfect environment for moss and algae to grow. But it will stay there until you clean or wash it off. Over a certain amount of time, moss and algae can be difficult to remove. This is why you need to regularly sweep up leaves and moss as and when you see them. It’s far simpler and less time-consuming than getting out the jet wash, for instance.
However, with stubborn algae stains, pressure washing your driveway or patio might be the best cleaning solution. Use a normal garden broom to sweep up leaves, loose dirt and debris. Then, place them in your garden bin or compost bin, provided only leaf and plant matter are present. This is one of the best ways of keeping your driveway and patio clean. This is especially the case if you don’t have the time to do a deep clean.
Of course, there could be instances where leaves and moss have left stains and stubborn marks that won’t come off.. If this is the case, then you have no choice but to pressure wash your driveway or patio. It’s a great way of removing stains and marks that won’t brush or wipe off easily. Take care, however, not to take off the glaze of certain patio slabs.
Also, be sure to either regrout or resand your driveway or patio after the pressure washing process. The best way to avoid having to regrout or resand is jet wash using a lower pressure setting. But it’s important to note that you might want to up the pressure setting for particularly stubborn stains. This could be the case if the patio or driveway has not been cleaned for several years.
If you’ve jet-washed your patio or driveway, then you should consider sealing it afterwards. This helps to prevent staining in the future. Driveway or patio sealing is done to apply an additional protective layer to the surface. This helps to mitigate UV damage, along with stains as a result of fallen autumn leaves, moss and algae. While it might seem like a pointless task, it really will make a difference to how you maintain your patio or driveway, especially at this time of year.
If your driveway is particularly damaged, old or just looks worn and outdated, then consider having the patio or driveway replaced by a professional firm, such as us here at T&M Grab Hire Ltd. We have a fully trained, experienced team of landscapers who are highly skilled in the art of patio and driveway laying.
Offering drop kerb installation for your convenience, adding or expanding driveways has never been easier. If you’re looking for a new patio under our landscaping services, or a new driveway under our driveway installation services, then look no further than T&M Grab Hire Ltd for all of your driveway and patio needs.
There are loads of things you can do to prevent staining and damage to your driveway or patio throughout the autumn and winter. Egaulr sweeping or raking up of leaves is a great place to start. Don’t be afraid to use a leaf blower, either. You should also check for any drainage issues you might be having, along with trimming back overhanging plants, shrubs and trees. Something else that will save you time and effort in the long run is resealing your patio or driveway once every two to three years for good measure and continued protection across all seasons, not just during the colder months.
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T&M Grab Hire Services Ltd are pleased to provide a wide range of landscaping services to customers throughout the East Midlands and the surrounding areas. We can lay patios and driveways, as well as build raised flower beds, construct decking and more. We can even offer drop kerb installation for your absolute convenience. If you’d like further information about how we can help you with your domestic or commercial landscaping project, then get in touch with a member of our friendly, professional team today – we’re always happy to hear from you.
