Increasing Your Asphalt’s Lifespan: 5 Tips
When you decide to pave your driveway or parking lot, you are planning to make a serious investment. With the average cost of paving a driveway with asphalt being around $4,000, you want the pavement to last for as long as possible.
With the right approach, you can enjoy the asphalt pavement for as long as 15 to 20 years. Many homeowners sell their homes before the asphalt driveway starts deteriorating. However, without proper maintenance, it’s easy to face a repaving project in just a couple of years.
These tips can help you keep the asphalt pavement in top shape incurring significant expenses.
1. Apply A Sealcoat Every Two to Three Years
Sealcoating is the most important part of asphalt maintenance. While your asphalt pavement may seem toughs and durable, it’s only as good as the sealcoat covers it. Depending on the state you live in, weather elements can be highly damaging to the pavement.
A sealcoat protects your driveway or parking lot from excessive sun, moisture, chemicals, and oils.
· UV rays – sun rays penetrate the unprotected asphalt pavement and start damaging the binder. Meanwhile, the pavement starts becoming soft and loses its shape. One hot summer could spell the end of your asphalt pavement.
· Moisture – water is the asphalt pavement’s worst enemy. It seeps through the cracks in the pavement, settles under the surface and starts expanding and contracting as the weather changes. This causes the asphalt to become vulnerable and results in pothole formation.
Without a sealcoat, the asphalt remains vulnerable to sun and rain. Without proper care, it can fall apart quickly, forcing you to make additional investments into its integrity.
Increasing Your Asphalt’s Lifespan: 5 Tips
According to Florida asphalt paving experts from ABC Paving, depending on how heavy the traffic on your pavement is, you need to reapply the sealcoat once every two to three years.
2. Clean Your Asphalt Pavement Regularly
Your asphalt pavement gets dirty all the time. Leafs, debris, and oils that you allow to stay on the asphalt pavement could lead to its quick demise. For example, a leaf can create an excellent environment for a water puddle. If a crack appears, the water will get inside the pavement, damaging it from under the surface.
Debris can lead to cracks, or if the crack is already there, turn it into a pothole. Meanwhile, oil and chemicals can cause the asphalt elements to deteriorate.
It’s imperative to clean your asphalt driveway or parking lot on a regular basis to make sure it stays in top shape for as long as possible.
3. Inspect Your Asphalt Pavement for Damage
Even if you’ve applied a sealcoat and scheduled regular cleanings, your asphalt could still get damaged. Things that can damage your asphalt driveway include:
· Sun and rain
· Heavy loads
· Tree roots
· Studded tires
· And many more
When shoveling snow to keep the asphalt clean, you could be damaging the pavement. Even the smallest crack in the asphalt can turn into a pothole overnight. So make sure to inspect your pavement for damages to spot the problem before it becomes a serious issue.
4. Seek Professional Installation
No matter how well you take care of the asphalt pavement, improper installation could shorten its lifespan significantly. Asphalt paving is a complex process that requires expertise, experience, and proper equipment.
When searching for asphalt paving contractors make sure they have a stellar reputation. Otherwise, you could be facing repair and repaving costs within a few months after poor installation.
5. Make Timely Repairs
When your asphalt is damaged, it needs help ASAP. Don’t overlook small cracks, depressions, or ruts. All of them have a huge potential of turning into potholes, which could be dangerous. While potholes are repairable, they can take a serious toll on your asphalt pavement.
As soon as you notice any damage, call for professional assistance. While filling cracks on your own is possible, it’s important to uncover the cause of the problem so it doesn’t happen again.
Final Thoughts
If you want your asphalt pavement to last for many years, you need to take proper care of the asphalt parking lot or driveway. Top-notch maintenance involves proper installation, timely sealcoating, regular inspections, and fast repair.
If you keep the above tasks under control, you can cut costs, save time, and enjoy a strong pavement for many years to come.
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Increasing Your Asphalt’s Lifespan 5 Tips
