Driveways or parking lots properly paved with asphalt make your home or business stand out from the rest. However, in order to keep your paved surface smooth and looking new, you have to keep up with repairs and maintenance.
Our Southeastern Michigan asphalt paving contractors put together this repair and maintenance checklist that will help you keep that looking nice for years to come.
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about asphalt repair and maintenance.
Why Should I Sealcoat My Asphalt Surface?
Sealcoating asphalt pavement protects the parking lot surface from asphalt oxidation and consequent damage from salt, gas, and oil. Sealcoating also minimizes the need for asphalt repairs because of weather-related problems, such as ice breaking apart your driveway due to water seeping into the cracks.
is crucial when it comes to preventing your asphalt surface from becoming damaged. Unfortunately, most people neglect this important preventative measure, and their driveway’s lifespan drops drastically.
If not properly sealed, your pavement will start to degrade, and potholes can form. Most asphalt companies suggest you sealcoat your surface two times after the initial sealing, each spaced six months apart. After this, you should seal your driveway around every two years or so.
You must clean, clear, and crack seal your driveway before adding the sealcoat layer. Failure to do so could result in your sealcoat failing or fracturing prematurely.
How Can I Clean My Asphalt Driveway?
First, clean out asphalt cracks with either a screwdriver or a machine designed to do the job. You may have seen these machines before: they have a spinning wire brush wheel and a blower that gets nearly all unwanted things out of a crack.
Pull out any weeds or moss growing in your cracks. These can grow and disrupt the ground beneath the crack, which may cause it to spread. Instead of pulling weeds, you could use bleach to get rid of them. You’ll also want to clean off any fuel or grease stains with a specially formulated degreaser.
Finally, the entire paved surface needs to be cleared of debris, using whatever works best for you and your budget. That might be a broom, a blower, or pressured water through a power washer. Power washers tend to work best because they can also eliminate built-up dirt or pollen.
At Allied Construction, we have the asphalt paving equipment tools needed for proper clearing and resurfacing.
When Should I Replace Asphalt Pavement?
In general, you should replace your asphalt pavement every 15–20 years.
Over time, even a parking lot that has been well-maintained over the years will eventually deteriorate and need replacement. If your asphalt’s surface has turned a dull gray color and has lots of cracks and potholes, it’s probably time to replace it.
What Can I Do About Cracks in My Asphalt?
Each year, you should inspect your driveway or parking lot for asphalt cracks. These cracks will eventually grow larger without treatment and create smaller, secondary cracks in the process.
Sealing cracks in asphalt prevents moisture from degrading the structural components of the surface. You can easily treat cracks in your asphalt with a proper sealcoat. Cracks should be cleaned of all debris, including loose asphalt, vegetation, and other foreign objects.
Fixing cracks by yourself may seem like a simple process, but without the right tools and asphalt mixture, it can get messy and easily fall apart within the first few months. For asphalt cracks that are smaller than a quarter of an inch wide, you can use a sealcoat to repair them. But if the crack is larger than that, one of our paving contractors will need to apply a crack sealer.
What Can I Do to Prevent or Fix Potholes?
occur when water permeates asphalt pavement through cracks in the surface. This water freezes, and as a solid object, it presses against the cracks in your asphalt and causes it to split even more. Combined with wear and tear, the soil beneath the crack will soften and eventually create a depression in the asphalt.
In the Midwest and northern states, asphalt patches applied in winter months typically do not hold up as well because of the cold temperatures. Repairs during the warmer months hold up better because the gravel, sand, and stones hold up better in the heat.
If a pothole has formed in your driveway and the ground is too frozen to fill it with asphalt, try filling it with salt and small pebbles until it can be properly repaired.
Reliable asphalt contractors will analyze your entire paved area and warn you about potential factors like drainage needs, traffic load concerns, and any issues caused by the surrounding landscape that might affect your asphalt.
Get a Smooth Driveway or Parking Lot
As your Southeastern Michigan asphalt company, we hope this asphalt repair and maintenance checklist answered your question and gave you some ideas for how you can take care of your asphalt surface. Our asphalt paving experts at Allied Construction are here to help you get and maintain the smooth driveway or parking lot you deserve. If you have any questions or need service, contact us online or call (248) 625-9581 today.
This blog has been updated.