The winter season makes your asphalt parking lot very vulnerable. The pavement can be damaged by snow and ice, which leads to pothole formation. In addition, the cold weather can cause asphalt to contract, creating unsightly cracks on the surface. It also causes asphalt to become brittle, and it becomes susceptible to cracking from heavy snowfall. Proper pavement maintenance helps protect your asphalt investment from harsh winter conditions. You can take several steps before the arrival of winter that will give your asphalt better protection this year and every year in the future. An experienced paving company like The Pavement Group – serving customers nationwide in the US – can help with your pavement maintenance.
This article discusses how winter affects asphalt pavement, how property owners can protect their asphalt pavement during the winter season, and some tips on maintaining asphalt in cold weather conditions.
Clean it Up Well
While plowing snow from the parking lot in winter, snowplows grind the accumulated debris on the surface into the pavement. This prevents the asphalt pavement from compacting, causing it to crack over time. So, clean up the pavement well to remove dirt and debris before winter by sweeping or power washing the asphalt surface with a pressure hose.
Crack Filling
While sealcoating fills in small cracks and seals the pavement, crack filling is a more robust form of asphalt maintenance. Crack fillers repair non-working cracks on the pavement by placing asphalt emulsion into the cracks to reduce water infiltration and reinforce the adjacent pavement.
Get the Potholes Repaired
Potholes are more likely to form when asphalt pavement is old, and the asphalt has not been maintained. Potholes are also more likely to occur during winter or periods of snow because water can seep into cracks in an asphalt surface, then it freezes and expands, causing the asphalt’s structure to break up. Thus, it is wise to get any potholes repaired before winter comes around.
Sealcoating the pavement
Sealcoating an asphalt pavement prior to winter as a preventive measure is one of the best ways to protect it and also to avoid the need for costly asphalt repairs after winter. You can also apply it after patching the potholes to keep them from developing again when they freeze over during the winter. In addition, sealcoating is an affordable service that will make your asphalt look better, last longer, and stay sealed from damaging environmental factors throughout the year.
Fix the Drainage Issues
Storm drains help prevent water buildup on a parking lot, keeping the pavement cleaner and safe. However, when the drains are damaged or are not positioned correctly, they can lead to puddles of standing water in the asphalt pavement, leading to cracks in your pavement that worsen over time.
Since installing and maintain a parking lot is an expensive investment, you should hire the best professionals for its upkeep. The Pavement Group serving customers nationwide in the US is one of the best pavement management companies in the country.