Freeze-thaw is the main threat
NOAA's engineering weather data for the Reno airport records an average of about 123 freeze-thaw cycles a year. Each cycle freezes water inside the concrete's pores and thaws it again. Concrete that isn't designed for that, or that's finished or cured poorly, can scale, flake and crumble at the surface within a few winters. Durable exterior concrete in Reno typically uses an air-entrained mix, which contains tiny air bubbles that give freezing water room to expand. Ask the contractor what mix they'll order, whether it's air-entrained, and how they'll avoid adding extra water at the site, which weakens the surface.
Frost and slabs
Washoe County's residential design criteria set a 24-inch frost line depth and a 17°F winter design temperature. Driveways, patios and walkways aren't usually founded below the frost line, so a well-draining, compacted aggregate base is what protects them from frost heave. Saturated soil under a slab is what heaves. Good drainage away from slabs, and keeping downspouts from dumping water at slab edges, makes a big difference.
Deicers
Deicing salts can damage concrete, especially in its first winter and on stamped or colored surfaces. Sand gives traction without chemical damage. If you use a deicer, follow the concrete contractor's and product manufacturer's guidance, and avoid products the contractor says will harm your concrete. Sealing exterior concrete helps resist deicer and freeze-thaw damage.
Dry air and curing
The National Weather Service notes Reno's high-desert setting, and dry air and wind pull moisture from fresh concrete quickly. That can cause surface cracking and weak surfaces if the slab isn't cured properly. Contractors use curing compounds, wet curing or covers to slow moisture loss. In summer, early-morning pours help.
Cold-weather pours
Concrete shouldn't be placed on frozen ground or allowed to freeze while it's curing. In cold weather, contractors may use heated water, accelerators and insulated blankets. Ask how they'll protect a pour in late fall or early spring.
Before you hire
Ask Reno concrete contractors what mix they'll use, whether it's air-entrained, how they'll prepare the base and drainage, how they'll cure the slab in dry air, and whether they recommend sealing. Ask about permits for driveway approaches. Look up the contractor with the Nevada State Contractors Board.
Cracks and repair
In Reno's freeze-thaw climate, cracks let water in, and it freezes and widens them every winter. Seal cracks before winter. Sections tilting toward the house should be lifted or replaced. Widespread scaling or heaving usually means replacement.
Timing
Most flatwork in the Reno area is scheduled from spring through fall. Book early.
Utilities
Call 811 before excavation, and point out private lines such as irrigation, landscape lighting and lines to outbuildings, which aren't marked by 811.
Steps and walks
Entry steps and walkways see the most ice and deicer. Proper air entrainment, sealing and a slope that sheds meltwater help them last.