Temperatures are getting lower, nights and mornings are chilly, and the days are getting shorter. Winter is officially well on its way. With cold temperatures and snow come a threat to your asphalt parking lot.
Luckily, there are steps you can take now to protect the pavement and help it through the coldest time of the year. Toste Construction offers over three decades of asphalt maintenance experience and is here to help you understand how you can prepare your parking lot for the winter to come.
Make Minor Repairs
If your asphalt currently has minor cracking or potholes have formed, you will want to have them repaired before winter. Leaving these damaged areas untouched can open up your pavement to significant damage. During the winter, water will find its way into the deep layers of the asphalt. This water will freeze as temperatures get colder and colder. When the water freezes, it will expand and when it melts, the area will contract and leave a hole below the surface.
Unknowingly, as vehicles pass over this area, they will cause the asphalt to buckle and even more damage will be done. Simply surveying the parking lot and having minor repairs completed before winter could save you a lot of headache in the spring. Contact your local asphalt contractor sooner than later because if temperatures get too low, they will not be able to complete the necessary repairs.
Clean Up Debris
Debris can easily clog the drainage system of any parking lot and should be cleared from the asphalt surface before winter comes. If a drain is clogged and backed up, water can pool on top of the asphalt. Standing water can erode the pavement from the top down, generate new cracks, and allow room for potholes to form.
Additionally, standing water will become slippery when it freezes and create a dangerous situation for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Making sure your parking lot is clear of debris and your drainage systems are flowing can help prevent these situations from forming.
Hire A Quality Snowplow Company
A snowplow can really wreak havoc on your parking lot if you choose an untrained company to do the work. Interviewing several companies and making sure they are professional and capable of clearing the snow without taking your asphalt away is essential. You will also want to place markers around the edges, curbs, or places you do not want them to run the snowplow. These markers will tell the snowplow drivers where the asphalt ends or where there is an obstruction and help prevent extensive damage.
Sealcoat The Asphalt
One of the best defensive moves against wintertime damage to an asphalt parking lot is to have it sealcoated. Sealcoating provides a layer of protection from the cold temperatures, salt, and moisture to your pavement. Weathering and aging can cause essential binders to be lost and sealcoating will help restore those binders while adding that layer of protection.
If you are considering have your asphalt sealcoated before winter, you will not want to wait! The sealant needs proper temperatures and ample sunshine to cure properly. Discuss your options with your local contractor to be sure.
Call The Pros at Toste
Toste Construction offers professional sealcoating and asphalt maintenance services to the greater Charlotte, NC area. Our team is skilled with parking lots of every size and is prepared to take on your job with quality and professionalism. Call our office today to discuss your asphalt needs and schedule your FREE 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.