LikeLike sunscreen protects your skin from harsh UV rays; asphalt sealcoating is a barrier to safeguard the surface from water intrusion and traffic wear and tear. This proactively guards against future damage, lengthening the life of the pavement and reducing costly repairs down the road.
Crack sealing, meanwhile, treats early signs of damage like stitches, preventing tiny cracks from becoming larger and damaging the pavement’s overall structure. Both techniques play important roles in a comprehensive maintenance strategy. Click the Asphalt Maintenance And Sealcoating to learn more.
Preventative maintenance is the key to maximizing your pavement investment. It includes routine inspections to identify minor asphalt defects and timely repairs. It is the most cost-effective way to extend pavement life and minimize risk. By proactively addressing problems such as raveling, transverse cracking, longitudinal cracks, minor block cracking, and surface deterioration, you will save money on costly repairs in the future.
Properly maintained parking lots, roads and driveways provide a polished aesthetic that reflects well on your property and provides an excellent impression to your customers and visitors. In addition, it is critical for maintaining the safety of everyone who uses your facility.
A professional sealcoating job, which should be an integral part of your custom maintenance plan, protects and enhances asphalt surfaces. It slows the oxidation process, protects against harsh weather conditions, prevents water penetration and delays subsurface failure. It also blocks out gas, oil and other chemicals that damage the asphalt surface. In addition, a quality sealcoating restores the original black color of asphalt and improves its visual appeal.
The first sign of deterioration in your asphalt is often the development of cracks. These can be either longitudinal or transverse in nature, and are the result of movement and expansion within the subsurface of your asphalt. Sealing these cracks early in the process is essential in preventing further degradation and potential pothole formation.
Cracks may develop in a variety of ways, including sun oxidation, freezing and thawing cycles, ground movement or traffic. Depending on the severity, these cracks should be filled or patched and included in your preventative maintenance plan.
A preventative maintenance plan should include a regular cleaning and application of salt or de-icing products to help keep the temperature in your asphalt below the freeze/thaw point. This will prolong the life of your asphalt surface and allow for proper functioning of your parking lot or roadway.
The most important aspect of any maintenance program is its consistency. A good preventative maintenance plan includes scheduled services such as crack sealing, sealcoating, patching, resurfacing and asphalt striping. This allows us to repair small issues before they turn into larger and more expensive problems such as potholes or alligator cracking.
Sealcoating
The seal coat serves to protect asphalt pavement from everyday elements like water, oil, gasoline, chemicals, ultraviolet rays and other elements that can cause it to degrade. It helps to preserve the surface of your asphalt pavement and can greatly extend its lifespan.
The process of applying asphalt sealcoating is a great way to protect and beautify your driveway or parking lot. It will give it a new black, shiny appearance and make the asphalt more resistant to cracking and deterioration. Regular seal coating will help to prevent the need for expensive repairs and replacement of your asphalt.
Aside from protecting your asphalt from the sun and other environmental factors that can cause fading, deterioration and cracking, asphalt sealcoating also adds traction and shine to the surface of your asphalt pavement. This can be a huge benefit for areas where there is heavy foot and vehicle traffic. The added traction can help to prevent slip and fall accidents from occurring. Slip resistance additives can be added to the asphalt sealcoat to further improve its traction and safety qualities.
There are several different types of asphalt sealcoats available and the one that is right for your driveway or parking lot depends on your specific needs and budget. There are low-cost asphalt sealcoats that will provide a good level of protection and can prolong the life of your asphalt, while higher-end products may provide additional benefits like UV absorbers or reflective additives.
Before an asphalt surface is sealed, it should be cleaned thoroughly. Loose dirt can be blown or swept off; hardened dirt should be scrubbed with a pressure washer. All vehicles should be removed from the area and all sprinklers turned off during and after the application of the sealcoat. It usually takes 24 hours for the sealcoat to dry.
The important thing to remember is that while sealcoating can extend the lifespan of your asphalt and prevent costly repairs, it cannot repair any underlying problems. Asphalt paving requires quality products and proper paving techniques to ensure long-lasting performance and durability. Taking care of the asphalt surface with regular maintenance and repair work will ultimately save you time and money in the long run.
Crack Sealing
Crack sealing is an important part of asphalt maintenance that involves filling in cracks to prevent further damage and extend the lifespan of the pavement. This process involves applying a high-quality sealant to the cracks in the surface of the pavement, keeping moisture and other harmful elements from entering and worsening the condition of the asphalt.
This preventative measure helps to protect against environmental conditions that can cause damage to asphalt surfaces, including freeze-thaw cycles and temperature changes that lead to cracking and deterioration. It also helps to limit water penetration, which can cause additional damage in the form of potholes and other structural problems that may require a costly replacement or repair.
The first step in the crack sealing process is to thoroughly inspect and clean the existing asphalt surface. This allows us to identify any cracks that need to be sealed, and it also ensures that the cracks will be properly prepared for sealing. Next, the cracks are cleaned to remove any dirt, debris, or vegetation that is trapped in them. This is essential because it prevents the cracks from being further weakened by the action of water, which can wash away the fine aggregate that supports the asphalt surface.
Once the cracks have been cleaned and prepped, they are filled with a hot-applied crack sealant to prevent further damage. This sealant is specially formulated to be flexible, so it can move with the asphalt as it expands and contracts during extreme weather conditions. The cracks are then allowed to cool and cure, which is another vital factor in ensuring the longevity of the crack sealant.
Crack sealing is a relatively simple and cost-effective way to protect against the onset of more serious problems. Think of it as putting sunscreen on before going out into the sun: this preventative measure keeps small issues from growing into big, expensive problems down the road.
When it comes to choosing the right maintenance strategy for your asphalt, thinking long-term is key. A proactive approach that includes both crack sealing and sealcoating can dramatically increase the lifespan of your asphalt and help you avoid costly repairs and replacements down the road.
Resurfacing
Pavement surfaces like parking lots and driveways can take a beating over time. Potholes, cracks and crumbling edges aren’t just unsightly; they also create safety hazards for drivers, walkers and workers. As such, it’s essential for business owners to take proactive steps to maintain the health of their asphalt and reduce the risk of costly repairs down the road.
Choosing the right maintenance method — whether sealcoating or crack sealing — requires careful consideration of numerous factors. Both techniques offer crucial preventive measures to protect asphalt from future damage, but each approach is tailored to address different aspects of your pavement’s condition.
Evaluating your asphalt’s current state of repair is the most important factor in determining which solution is best for you. If your asphalt is still relatively new and doesn’t have any visible structural issues, sealcoating may be a good option to proactively guard against future damage and extend the lifespan of your pavement.
However, if your pavement has begun to show signs of wear and tear, resurfacing is probably the best choice for you. A resurfacing project typically involves replacing the existing asphalt layer with a fresh coat of material. This process not only restores your asphalt’s appearance but also enhances its strength and durability.
One key advantage of resurfacing is that it’s a cost-effective and convenient way to completely revamp the look of your pavement. In addition, resurfacing eliminates any unsightly stains and marks that may have appeared on the surface and provides a smooth, consistent texture that’s easy to sweep and drive on.
When Should You Resurface Your Asphalt?
If your pavement is showing signs of serious deterioration, such as extensive cracking and thinning, resurfacing may be necessary. This is particularly true if the structural integrity of your asphalt is compromised to the point that it’s at risk of collapse or failure.