The condition of your parking lot says a lot about your business. You want a parking lot that is not only attractive and accessible but also safe for your customers and employees to use.
Most commercial parking lots are made from asphalt paving. Asphalt requires ongoing maintenance. Learn more about the basic maintenance tasks you should be investing in to keep your parking lot looking and performing its best over time.
1. Regularly Remove Trash
You may not see a connection between trash and the condition of your parking lot's asphalt, but one does exist. Water is one of the most detrimental elements to asphalt. Standing water and poor drainage have the potential to wreak havoc on the structural integrity of both asphalt and the base layer beneath the asphalt.
Trash that remains in your parking lot can eventually find its way into drains. Clogged drains prevent proper drainage, putting your parking lot at risk of sustaining serious damage. Remove trash from your parking lot regularly to preserve the asphalt.
2. Fill Potholes
Potholes are a common problem for asphalt surfaces. A pothole forms when the moisture in the ground below the asphalt expands and contracts. The stress of this movement causes the asphalt base to collapse, creating a hole on the surface.
Potholes are unsightly, and they can pose a safety hazard. It's important that you have a paving contractor fill in any potholes that form in your parking lot. Leaving potholes allows water to infiltrate your asphalt and cause further damage. Potholes also pose a legal liability, since a pedestrian or vehicle could be harmed when navigating a pothole.
3. Sealcoat Regularly
Sealcoating is a tool that can help extend the life of your parking lot. Asphalt begins to deteriorate over time. This deterioration can lead to the formation of small cracks that create entry points for moisture.
A thin layer of asphalt can be applied over the surface of your parking lot by an experienced paving contractor. This thin layer, referred to as a sealcoat, covers minor damage and helps to restore the structural integrity of any asphalt surface. Work with your paving contractor to determine how often you need to sealcoat your parking lot.
An asphalt parking lot can last for many years if it is maintained properly. Sealcoats, pothole repairs, and regular trash removal are all simple maintenance tasks you can perform to extend the life of your asphalt.
To learn more about asphalt paving, visit a site like http://www.phend-brown.com.