Protect asphalt paving with these tips.

Asphalt pavement is impressively durable, which is excellent news. If properly installed, the pavement should last at least 25 years – or longer.

You can’t take the longevity for granted. Regular maintenance is necessary to protect asphalt paving for extended durability. You must regularly inspect the lot for signs of damage such as line cracks, breaks in the pavement, bumps, bubbles, and potholes.

Tips to Protect Asphalt Paving

The following are ten basic maintenance activities to consider after each inspection for maximum return on investment:

Clean up and remove debris

This should be the very first thing, even if there isn’t visible damage. Always remove the leaves, dirt, and other forms of debris from your pavement. Otherwise, the debris can get trapped in the drainage and under ice (during winter), resulting in more harmful damage down the line.

Remove standing water

Standing water is often a sign of indenting or uneven paving. This unevenness may be the result of poor pavement installation practices or pressure attributed to heavy, uneven use. Whichever the case, pooling can cause cracks, potholes, and all other kinds of damages. Regularly removing any standing or pooling water is therefore vital.

Regular sealcoating is a must

Sealcoating your asphalt pavements every 24-36 months not only improves the aesthetic appeal of the parking lot but also goes a long way in addressing the water damage issues we mentioned above. A new, waterproof seal coating helps protect asphalt paving by preventing seeping of water to sub-layers.

Repair cracks ahead of time

This is very important. Those hairline cracks that seem harmless now can quickly turn into large, block cracks and potholes, necessitating expensive asphalt repair or complete pavement replacement. For this reason, cracks must be filled as soon as you notice them.

Fill potholes

It’s not just cracking that can cause potholes. Some potholes are also the result of the expansion and contraction of groundwater under the pavement.

Fix drainage problems

The pooling and standing water issues mentioned earlier are just a few consequences of poor parking lot drainage. Other consequences include water damage if flash floods begin flowing towards buildings. The floods can also erode part of the pavement. You want to fix the issue early to prevent extensive damage.

Consider full-depth reclamation

If your parking lot is significantly damaged, but the sub-base and sub-grade are still reliable, the asphalt repair professional may recommend full-depth reclamation (FDR). FDR involves pulverizing the old asphalt and base materials, and compacting the mixture to produce a new strong, durable base.

Watch out for excess weight

As already mentioned, a common cause of standing water is the unevenness caused by heavy use. Heavy-duty trucks, especially, will quickly cause sections of the parking lot to sink because of the uneven distribution of weight.

Ensure proper traffic marking

Traffic marking proper striping makes your parking lot safer by providing direction on how drivers and pedestrians can use the lot. It means lesser incidents, thus fewer lawsuits, and fines.

Make maintenance a habit

You can’t treat it as a one-off project, only done when something’s wrong in the parking lot. That reactive approach is irresponsible, as you’re likely to be late in catching most issues. Instead, you need to be proactive in your maintenance. It’s the only way to fully protect asphalt paving.

Contact ACPLM to Protect Asphalt Paving in Parking Lots

ACPLM is one of the preferred asphalt paving contractors in Florida. We specialize in asphalt installations, pavement repair, asphalt crack filling, and general pavement maintenance. Contact us today for asphalt repair in Tampa and to schedule a no-cost consultation.