The best time to prepare for winter is when the temperatures start to cool down during the fall months. However, one area people forget to tend to in their preparations is the asphalt in their driveways or parking lots, often forgetting that seasonal changes affect the asphalt.

In this article, we’ll cover what kind of asphalt maintenance to do for fall.

Budget

This is something you should do all year long. You should set aside money in the annual budget for pavement maintenance, as well as money for unexpected maintenance and repairs. This way, you’ll always have the money you need for maintenance, repair, or expansion projects. You don’t want damaged asphalt to become worse during the time it takes to gather the money necessary for repairs.

Regular Inspections

The only way you can properly repair or maintain asphalt is if you know potential issues you have. An expert asphalt contractor can assess your asphalt’s condition and help you identify, prevent, or fix any problem areas.

Routine Cleaning

It’s important to thoroughly clean your asphalt about every four to six months, removing loose debris, weeds, leaves, oil paint, and anything else that’s not pavement. Stains and debris can cause damage to layers over time, so it’s best to use the correct cleaning tools to keep it looking its best. Ensure that you don’t use harsh chemicals, a hard brush, or a power washer are wrong methods that lead to further damage.

Repair

If you see an area of your asphalt that needs repairing, it’s essential to do so as soon as possible. Not only is damaged and weakened pavement susceptible to further damage like potholes or pavement failure, but it can also become potentially dangerous to people. Many people put off repairing their asphalt due to costs, only to end up paying more due to increased damage to their asphalt, not realizing that it’s cheaper to maintain than it is to repair or replace.

Sealcoat

Sealcoating is an easy and fast process, and is something that you should do, or have a professional do, every year to help save on repair and maintenance costs. A sealcoat applies a wear-resistant and weather-resistant protective layer to the asphalt. It waterproofs your asphalt surface to prevent water from getting to plants under your asphalt or in potential cracks.

Restripe (as necessary)

One first thing visitors notice when they enter a parking lot is the parking space stripes. If it’s hard to see your parking lot stripes, visitors will have difficulty parking neatly, and there will be an increased chance of accidents. You’re held liable if accidents occur due to worn and faded striping. To prevent accidents and enhance your parking lot’s visual appeal, it’s best to restripe your parking lot, usually every 18 to 24 months.

Pro-Pave, Inc. can help you improve your commercial properties’ curb appeal and value. Not only do we provide asphalt construction and maintenance services, but we also provide snow and graffiti removal, masonry and brick repair, and other property and maintenance services. We work with many commercial clients, including schools, retail stores, local, state, and federal governments, and more. You can look through our website or contact us to learn more about our services.