The Dos and Don’ts of Asphalt Maintenance

Whether it’s for a residential driveway or parking lot, asphalt pavement is a surefire way to increase the value of your property. And if you’re running a business, having beautifully paved parking can significantly boost your ROI. Thus, you must ensure that your asphalt pavement is adequately maintained for many years.

Proper maintenance of asphalt pavement helps prevent premature damage, so you save up on repair and repaving costs. So, how do you care for your asphalt pavement, you ask? Don’t worry; we created a list below of the dos and don’ts of maintaining your asphalt.

The Do’s in Asphalt Maintenance

• Do fill the cracks – even the smallest ones. Yes, even the most minute cracks on your pavement can lead to more significant problems when neglected. Thus, you must regularly inspect your asphalt pavement to address these promptly. When left unchecked, water and other elements can penetrate these cracks, and the asphalt’s base will deteriorate. So, timely crack sealing and filling is the best way to protect your asphalt.
• Do have your asphalt sealcoated every 3-5 years. The weather in Florida can be a bit extreme, and constant exposure to the elements weakens the foundation of the asphalt pavement, and soon, potholes and cracks will start to appear. Thus, applying sealcoating to your asphalt every three to five years is advisable to preserve it and protect it against damaging elements like oils, oxidation, etc.
• Do remove standing water immediately. Even though you’ve had asphalt sealcoating done on your pavement, you should still be careful about letting standing water sit on it for too long. Remove excess or any puddle of water on the pavement as soon as possible. You should also ensure that the drainage system in and around your asphalt works appropriately to avoid standing water.
• Do repair those potholes. If, for some reason, potholes start to form on your asphalt pavement, make sure to have them filled and repaired immediately. Even small holes can be unsightly and dangerous, especially if your pavement has high daily traffic. 
• Do keep your pavement clean. Spills such as gasoline, brake liquid, and oil will regularly occur on your driveway or parking lot. And these are things that can damage the asphalt binder. Thus, always clean up any leaked or spilled automotive fluids on your asphalt.

The Don’ts in Asphalt Maintenance

• Don’t let grass and weeds into your asphalt pavement. If your driveway is too close to the grass in your landscaped garden, make sure to remove those that might grow their roots under the pavement. These can damage the base and create cracks in your asphalt. Create an edge to your garden to keep plants and weeds away from your driveway. You can also use weed killers around the pavement.
• Don’t let sprinklers reach your asphalt surface. Since water is one of the enemies of your asphalt pavement, make sure to keep them away. Adjust the sprinkler on your lawn to ensure no water is sprayed on your driveway. 
• Don’t allow oxidation. Constant exposure to the sun’s UV rays and oxygen results in oxidation. If you see spots with dull grey coloring on your asphalt’s surface, that’s a sign that oxidation is starting to set it. You can prevent that by adding a protective layer – think of it as a sunscreen for your asphalt – with regular sealcoating.
• Don’t sealcoat too quickly, though. Sealcoating is good at adding a protective layer over your asphalt, but wait a few months before doing that to new pavement. Your asphalt needs enough time to cure – usually about a few months, sometimes even a year.

Conclusion

Your asphalt pavement is an investment, whether it’s for residential or commercial use. And knowing how to care for it on your own properly is essential. But it all starts with hiring a reliable contractor to build your asphalt pavement. So, if you’re looking for a professional contractor, Anderson & Sons Asphalt got you covered.

We have a team of well-trained and knowledgeable contractors who can help you build and maintain your asphalt. We have experience building all kinds of project sizes – from 1,000 Sq Ft. driveways to 1,000,000 Sq Ft. commercial parking lots.