It’s time for us to prepare our parking lots, driveways and sidewalks for the upcoming season. Being proactive with your asphalt maintenance for winter is essential as we move into the snow season. When the asphalt is exposed to snow, in addition to normal wear and tear, it will break down at a faster rate. This leads to cracking, potholes, and the alike. There are preventive maintenance tips that we will share to help make your asphalt surfaces last longer. Preparation is key.
Preparing Your Asphalt Driveway For The Cold Weather
- Sealcoating Applying sealcoat to your asphalt pavement extends the lifespan of your parking lots. It protects the surface from water penetration, ultraviolet light and chemicals breaking down the pavement. Consequently, if left untreated asphalt will dry and become brittle. Cracks will begin to develop on the surface allowing additional damage to take place to the entire layer of asphalt.
- Crack sealing Giving attention to all the cracks prior to the first freeze will ensure that your surfaces will not worsen. Sealing cracks will prevent water and chemicals from causing additional havoc. Otherwise, water will penetrate these areas, and freeze and expand causing further damage.
- Asphalt patching Attending to any potholes prior to the cold weather can avoid greater damage from occurring. EastCoat Pavement Services can offer a hot mix asphalt solution that will provide a more permanent fix, as compare to a cold patch option.
- Deicer Keeping your lots and sidewalks safe is paramount for businesses. Road salt typically does the job. However, using a deicer that has chemicals will only worsen any of the preexisting damages to your lot. Unless you are planning to have your lots repaved in the near future, we recommend avoiding them.
- Sand spreading Placing sand down to help vehicles get traction is beneficial. Although sand doesn’t melt snow like a deicer can, it’s still a viable option. We do caution using sand if your lot has cracks, as it can be damaging to the asphalt if it seeps into them.
Plowing Your Lots
Take a proactive approach with your snow plowing company. Plan in advance the specific details to go along with your contract. Communicating to the plow company any broken curbing or asphalt damage can help to prevent any additional damages to your parking lot. Also, it’s a good idea to add snow markers to your curbs and stationary obstacles prior to the first snow fall so that the plow trucks can steer clear of these areas as well. Ensuring that your asphalt maintenance for winter plan is a solid one can eliminate large pavement projects come springtime.
Once the cold weather sets in, you can continue to be proactive. Regular clearing of snow by plowing and shoveling your asphalt driveway and sidewalks can eliminate the length of time that the surface will be icy, slippery and wet.
Asphalt Paving Done Right By The Professional
Certainly there are several things you can do as the owner of your parking lot to ensure you’re prepared for the cold season ahead. Ultimately, working with EastCoat Pavement Services who has years of experience developing plans for asphalt maintenance for winter will ensure that you are best prepared. While maintaining your lots year round can go a long way, repair will be necessary at some point. Our goal here is to help you maximize the life of your asphalt while minimizing risk. Contact one of our professionals today to discuss your maintenance plan.