There’s no denying the many benefits inherent to asphalt paving, including cost-effectiveness, durability, comfort, noise reduction, and sustainability, just to name a few. However, your asphalt parking lot is not immune to wear and tear, and if you live in a region with extreme weather conditions in the summer or winter (or both), or your parking lot gets a high volume of traffic on a daily basis, you could eventually start to see wear and tear.
In some cases, preventive maintenance like sealcoating every 2-3 years can help to stave off damage and extend the life of your asphalt surface. On the other hand, you might start to see cracking related to environmental stresses. If this is the case, you’ll want to consider crack sealing your asphalt parking lot periodically, or as problems arise. Here are a few benefits you’ll enjoy from crack sealing.
Improve Appearance
Cracks in your parking lot can present an unsightly mess that causes visitors to the property to wonder about your commitment to upkeep. In other words, this curb appeal issue could lead to negative first impressions of your property. Filling in cracks shows that you pay attention and you care about the state of your property, even the parking lot. Crack seal looks a lot nicer than gaping rifts in your pavement.
Stop Further Cracking
When a crack begins to form in your asphalt, it’s not going to get better on its own. The best you can hope for is that no further damage will be done, but if you fail to treat cracks, you can bet they’re going to get worse over time. Applying crack seal will help to stop the damage from progressing any further by filling in gaps and making your pavement whole and strong once again.
Stop Moisture Penetration
One of the worst offenders when it comes to damaging asphalt is moisture, and cracks in the pavement allow water to seep in, even to the base and subbase layers. When this happens, your asphalt surface could start to shift and settle, leading to instability and much more severe cracking. Plugging up cracks with crack seal is the best way to avoid this situation.
Extend Life of Asphalt
With proper care and maintenance, asphalt can last for decades. Sealcoating every few years is a given, but when you start to notice cracks, the best thing you can do is seal them properly. This will help to prevent further damage and ensure a long life for your asphalt parking lot.