Why Manchester properties need a concrete contractor who understands local conditions
Manchester averages about 60 inches of snow per year, and winter temperatures regularly drop below 10 degrees Fahrenheit from December through February. The ground freezes to depths of 4 feet or more in hard winters, and the freeze-thaw cycling that comes in late winter and early spring, when temperatures swing above and below freezing repeatedly, is the primary cause of driveway cracking, floor heaving, and foundation movement that Manchester homeowners see every spring. Concrete that was not poured with southern New Hampshire winters in mind does not last.
Manchester's housing stock spans two very different worlds. The South End, North End, and neighborhoods close to downtown are lined with two- and three-family homes built during the mill era, mostly before 1940, on small urban lots with tight driveways and little setback from the street. Original or near-original foundations, older slabs without reinforcement, and narrow garage access are everyday conditions in these neighborhoods. The West Side and outer areas of the city have newer Colonial and Cape Cod homes on larger lots, with their own set of maintenance issues including aging asphalt, deck work, and concrete that has seen 20 to 30 years of hard winters.
Road salt is also a significant factor. Manchester's city streets and the state roads running through it are salted heavily through the winter, and that salt gets tracked into garages and onto driveways constantly from November through March. Salt is corrosive to concrete and accelerates the surface deterioration that freeze-thaw cycling starts. Concrete installed with a salt-resistant mix and sealed before the first winter holds up dramatically better than standard pours, and a contractor who does not address this specifically has not thought through what Manchester's climate actually requires.
