If you own a commercial building with a large employee parking lot, you'll need to keep the lot maintained so none of your employees trip and fall or have issues with their car due to a lot that's in disrepair. An asphalt parking lot needs regular maintenance that might include sweeping as well as making repairs. Here's why asphalt maintenance is so important and what you might need to have done to your parking lot.
Asphalt Maintenance Makes Your Lot Last Longer
Putting in a new parking lot is an expensive and disruptive process. You probably want to put it off for as long as possible. By keeping up with repairs, the asphalt lasts longer and you can postpone tearing out the old lot and replacing it with a new one for as long as possible.
When asphalt has a crack in it, rain falls down to the base under the asphalt. This can eventually cause the base to shift, and that can cause wide, uneven cracks or potholes. Cracks will usually get worse unless they're sealed properly.
Asphalt Maintenance Should Be Done Regularly
Your parking lot should be serviced regularly depending on how much traffic it gets and if heavy trucks drive on it. An asphalt contractor can recommend a good schedule. The contractor will look for signs that repairs are needed, such as cracks, crumbling areas, standing water, and potholes. They'll also note if the asphalt looks bleached out as this indicates the protective sealcoat has worn off.
Drainage problems are serious issues the contractor needs to know about. Poor drainage leads to asphalt crumbling, and to repair the situation, the old asphalt may need to be removed so the base can be repaired and the new asphalt put down. The drainage issue has to be corrected first.
Small cracks are less serious, but these should be filled in as soon as possible. Potholes should definitely be repaired since they allow rain to reach the base. At some point, your contractor might recommend adding an asphalt overlay. This is a more extensive type of maintenance but will put down a new surface layer of asphalt that protects the parking lot and help it last longer.
Asphalt maintenance also entails putting on a sealcoat every few years or as often as needed. This coating makes the asphalt dark and protects it from UV damage and rain.
Even if your parking lot isn't in need of repairs, having regular inspections is important so damage doesn't have time to escalate. Your employees will appreciate having a well-maintained lot, and your property will be more attractive.
Reach out to a company like W.N. Yoss Construction Inc to learn more.