Home Protection Series Part 3: To Seal or Not To Seal

Proper care ensures your home and the systems in your home will perform for years to come. Protecting your home by applying sealants in certain areas is a great benefit to your home’s overall performance.

Your Driveway

Sealing your asphalt or concrete driveway will protect it from cracking and protect the appearance. Remember asphalt and concrete are both porous materials which means moisture can seep into the material and cause cracking as that moisture freezes and thaws. Deicing products used by homeowners can also deteriorate driveway materials. And even if you don’t personally use these materials, the crews maintaining the roads in this area do use chemicals to melt snow and ice which can wreak havoc on your driveway. Experts recommend sealing your driveway every 3 years.

Your Granite Counter Top

Granite is also a porous material. It is highly recommended that your granite counter top be sealed with an appropriate sealant product. For maximum protection, sealer should be be applied once every six months. This will minimize absorption of liquids that might stain the granite.

Your Tile Grout

Sealing the grout on your tile floors, walls and backslashes will keep those areas looking fresh and clean for years to come. You can purchase grout sealer at any hardware store. How often should you seal the grout? Experts recommend every 2-3 years. Not sure? Apply this simple test…sprinkle a few drops of water on the grout. If the drops bead up on top of the grout, you’re good. If the water is absorbed by the grout, it is time to seal again!

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