Introduction
When you’re constructing a new driveway, walkway or sidewalk, apart from concrete, pavers are the usual choice. They bring a lot of flexibility and many advantages over concrete and stone. However, interlocking permeable pavers are the new hot trend for good reason. If you want your driveway to be made of these types of pavers, you can search for “paving companies near me” and hire professionals for the job. Let’s check out a few benefits of interlocking permeable pavers.
The Benefits
- Permeable pavers – Before checking out the advantages of permeable interlocking pavers, it’s important to know what they are. Interlocking permeable pavers are made from porous blocks of materials that can be interlinked to form a path and allow water to flow through them into the ground.
They may be made from porous asphalt, previous concrete, and other sorts of materials. Unlike regular pavers, they have wider joints and don’t have sand between the joints since that interferes with permeability. With that out of the way, let’s check out how interlocking permeable pavers can help you.
- Self-drainage – One of the greatest advantages of interlocking permeable pavers is their filtering capability. That means instead of allowing water to sit and accumulate on the surface, they allow it to pass through slowly. Depending on the type of permeable pavers you get, water may directly pass through the material or seep through between the joints of the pavers. Due to this self-draining property, the water reaches the soil under the pavers, and you don’t have to deal with puddles ever again.
- Reduced erosion – Even if you have side skirts along your driveway or pathway or invest a lot of money and effort into widening the gutters, a severe storm can literally wash away all those protection measures. Puddles and stormwater flowing along the side of your pathway erodes away the topsoil and cause severe damage to your landscape. Instead, permeable pavers have a great advantage.
The pavers’ permeability allows for slow but steady redirecting of water deep into the soil without flushing away the precious topsoil. Moreover, since water doesn’t accumulate on the pavers, the pavers dry off quickly when the sun comes out. You don’t have to walk on slippery surfaces anymore. Since there are no puddles, it doesn’t damage the concrete and doesn’t attract bugs or pests either.
- High durability – As mentioned above, permeable pavers don’t allow water to pool on the surface. This means the concrete is exposed to water for a shorter duration. That’s why it takes less water damage. Moreover, the water absorbed by permeable pavers is slowly drained down instead of being trapped inside the concrete for a long time. This means the concrete has to go through fewer intense contractions and expansions throughout its lifetime.
However, that’s not all. The greatest advantage of permeable pavers is displayed in their full glory during the winter season. Unlike regular concrete which traps a lot of moisture and takes a lot of time to release that back into the environment, permeable pavers do a quicker job. That means permeable pavers get less damage from freeze and thaw cycles and last you for a much longer time. Moreover, since permeable pavers don’t freeze easily, you’ll spend a lot less time and less money de-icing your driveway or walkway.
- Reduced water use – Permeable interlocking pavers can bring you even greater benefits if you install stormwater harvesting chambers under them. Permeable pavers have several layers that effectively filter stormwater and as they seep down to lower levels, you may as well install a water harvesting chamber underneath it.
Despite the natural seep-through filtration, this water may have a lot of bacteria and pathogens that are harmful to humans and may need more treatment before they become drinkable. However, it can serve other purposes. For instance, you can wash your cars, irrigate the lawn and water your plants with this harvested water. This can bring down your utility bill drastically.
- Increase curb appeal – Permeable pavers also increase curb appeal by a significant margin. These interlocking pavers come in all sorts of shades, shapes, and patterns. They look much better than regular asphalt or concrete. Moreover, when asphalt or concrete surfaces develop cracks, they become an eyesore. Even after repairing them or filling up those cracks they never look as good as they used to. On the other hand, you can easily replace interlocking concrete paver blocks if one of a few of them develops cracks and restore them to their original glory.
- Makes more economical sense – While interlocking permeable pavers aren’t new or novel material, they are more expensive than regular asphalt or concrete. However, they are much easier to install. Repairs are also DIY friendly and you don’t have to bring in professionals for that task. Since it’s a modular structure, you can easily repair your permeable paver walkway at a nominal cost. Moreover, its longer lifespan makes permeable pavers a better long-term investment.
- Raises property value – All the above-mentioned benefits also bring an indirect benefit that isn’t realized till you list your property on the market. Any decent real estate agent would be able to fetch you a better price for your property compared to similar properties on the market if you have the advantage of permeable pavers.
Since they are long-lasting, save you a lot of money, and are great for the environment, potential homeowners won’t mind paying a bit more for your property. This gives you an extra bargaining chip at the negotiation table and even helps you sell off your property quicker than your peers. That’s why the slightly higher cost of permeable pavers shouldn’t keep anyone on the fence about building a new driveway, walkway, or pavement.
Conclusion
Interlocking permeable pavers are amazing for the environment and for your pocket. While they cost more upfront, they are a great long-term investment due to their durability. If you want a new driveway made out of these pavers, you can search for “paving companies near me” and hire professionals for the job.