4 Practices That Prolong The Life Of Your New Asphalt Parking Lot
Once you have your new asphalt parking lot installed, talk to a contractor about steps you should take to maintain the asphalt. With proper care, your lot can last for many years before it needs major repairs. You might even establish a maintenance schedule with the asphalt paving contractor to ensure you don't go too long before having your parking lot checked and serviced. Here are four practices that keep your parking lot maintained well.
1. Sweep The Lot
Have your parking lot swept regularly to keep unattractive and potentially damaging debris off of the surface of the asphalt. The frequency of sweeping depends on the environment around your property and the type of business you have.
If large trees shed leaves on your lot or if you sell food that results in potential litter on your lot, you'll need to be sweeping more frequently than if your lot is around an office building where litter isn't a problem.
2. Keep Heavy Vehicles Off The Lot
Asphalt paving contractors can calculate the depth and construction of the asphalt based on the anticipated weight of the type of vehicles that would use your lot. If your lot is intended for cars only, put up weight limit signs that prohibit big trucks from passing through or parking on your lot.
3. Have Sealcoating Applied
Your contractor may talk to you about when to have seal coating applied to your new lot. The asphalt is usually given time to cure before the coating is applied. Then the coating is put on every few years to keep the asphalt protected.
The frequency of applying the seal coat depends on the amount of traffic your parking lot gets daily. You might need a seal coat added every year or two. Sealcoating is an important part of parking lot maintenance because it forms a protective coat for the asphalt that blocks rain and UV rays.
4. Have A Yearly Checkup
Your paving contractor can also advise you on the frequency of checkups for your parking lot. It's best to seal cracks when they're small. If you wait too long, a small crack can spread or become a pothole.
Your contractor may advise checking the lot once a year and then doing repairs on any areas that need it so your lot doesn't have a chance to deteriorate due to neglect.
Asphalt slowly degrades over the years, but if you keep up with seal coating, repairs, and sweeping, you can slow down the aging process. Your lot may eventually need to be resurfaced or have drainage problems repaired, and having these major repairs done when they're needed helps you postpone the need for a complete parking lot replacement for as long as possible.
Contact an asphalt service, such as Virginia Asphalt Services Inc, for more information.