Potholes are a nuisance to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, no matter if they are in a parking lot, drive, or roadway. As a property manager or owner, dealing with potholes can be almost as annoying to you as it does to the traffic that uses your parking lot. However, when it comes to any major system or piece of your property, preventative maintenance is key!
Your parking lot is no exception to the need for preventative maintenance.
Caring for your parking lot to prevent potholes could end up saving you significantly in the long run. Toste Construction is here to help you understand different ways to help prevent pothole formation. Keep reading for our top ways to keep your parking in shape and give your a great impression of your business.
1. Regular Cleaning
Over time, a parking lot will collect debris, dirt, trash, and other materials. If these materials are left on top of the asphalt for too long, they may start to eat away and cause a pothole to form. One of the best things you can do to help prevent a pothole is regularly clean the pavement and get rid of any harmful materials. You can complete this cleaning yourself with a pressure washer, wire broom, and a dustpan. Regular cleaning of your parking lot will not only help prevent pothole formation, but it will also offer a clean, attractive look for your property.
2. Clean Oil Stains
As we just discussed, when foreign material sits on the asphalt for an extended period of time, it starts to eat away at the pavement. Oil is even worse than organic debris and materials. The oil contains chemicals that will eat away the pavement at an expedited rate, weaken it, and cause significant pothole formation within a parking lot. If you want to prevent pothole formation in your parking lot, clean any oil stains as quickly as possible.
3. Improve Drainage
Water is one of the most harmful elements of asphalt. If you notice a lot of standing water within your parking lot, you likely have a drainage issue. By improving the drainage system, you can help prevent pothole formation. Standing water can chip away at the asphalt and seep through any and all cracks within the asphalt, all the way through to the foundation. Discuss with your local asphalt contractor what options you may have to improve the drainage. It may be as simple as clearing debris away from grates and allowing the water to pass through.
4. Fill Cracks
Cracking is the number one source of pothole formation. By filling them as they start to form, you can actively prevent potholes from forming. A crack offers a direct route for water to the foundation of a parking lot. When water finds its way below the surface, it will wear away the asphalt, freeze, and create pockets that buckle when a vehicle drives over. By filling cracks as they form, you will prevent pothole formation. Failing to do so is a sure way to significantly damage the parking lot and require a much more significant repair, if not a full replacement.
5. Sealcoating
Another way to actively prevent pothole formation in your parking lot is to have it regularly sealcoated. Sealcoating is the act of applying a thin coat of sealant to the asphalt surface. Doing so replenishes the binder of the asphalt that is typically lost through weathering and aging. Additionally, sealcoating will provide a barrier to UV rays, chemicals, salt, and, most importantly, water intrusion!
Industry standards recommend sealcoating every 2-3 years. Doing so will help prevent moisture intrusion and crack formation along with helping extend the lifespan of your parking lot. Sealcoating on a regular basis will not only help protect the asphalt, but it creates a very clean look and restores the rich, dark color often lost over time.
Your Asphalt Experts
If your parking lot is looking a little rough, cracks are forming, and potholes are starting to form, call Toste Construction today! Our team is available to assess your asphalt and provide you with a FREE and honest estimate for work that needs to be completed. We specialize in asphalt maintenance and can handle a parking lot of any size. Call our office today to schedule your estimate!
Toste Construction specializes in sealcoating and crack filling to ensure you and your customers have a smooth surface to drive on. We are your Mooresville asphalt and pavement maintenance company. Our services include asphalt sealcoating, striping, patching, pothole repair and crack filling for both residential and commercial projects throughout western North Carolina.