We are at that point in the year where it is time to prepare for the coming colder months. This could be ensuring you have enough supplies to last or scaling your workforce based on your business. Other businesses alter their operating hours or take the changing of the season as a sign to start planning for the next year.
One item to also consider preparing is your asphalt parking lot.
While the weather is beginning to change and nights are increasingly becoming colder, your asphalt is starting to change itself. To ensure it lasts all winter long unharmed while also keeping your guests and employees safe, there are a few items to take care of. The sooner you check these items off your list, the better too. If a large repair is needed, you want to make sure the asphalt company has time to complete it before it is too late.
Watch For Standing Water
Standing water in a parking lot is never a good sign, but the closer we get to winter, the more troubles this can cause. A sign of a drainage issue, standing water can not only cause deterioration of the pavement, but also create a much larger issue as it freezes.
As the water seeps into the asphalt and freezes, it will expand and cause severe cracking or pothole formation. Additional, frozen water on the surface can create a safety concern for vehicles and pedestrians as they make their way through the parking lot.
If you notice standing water in your parking lot, check your drains first and foremost. Clear any debris from then and make sure they are below the surface so water can find its way to it. You will want to call your local asphalt contractor if there is a more complex issue. They will be able to offer the best advice on how to fix it before the cold sets in.
Clean The Surface
A dirty parking lot that is full of debris, trash, and other items is difficult to keep clean during the winter. To ensure proper snow removal, you will want to make sure the surface is clean before the first snowfall.
Depending on the size of the parking lot, you might opt to take this task on yourself. Utilizing blowers and brooms, you can easily remove debris and trash. Items such as leaves, branches, barrels, and other large items should be moved too. These items can freeze to the pavement and cause damage to either your snow removal equipment or to the asphalt itself.
There are also companies that offer professional cleaning if you choose to outsource this project. Whichever you choose, the cleaner the surface the better in the long run.
Complete Necessary Repairs
There is no denying that asphalt and the cold do not mix well together. As the weather cools down at night and warms up in the daytime, the asphalt will expand and contract. This can cause cracking and pothole formation in your parking lot. To ensure these do not get worse over the winter months, you will want to complete necessary repairs now.
Repairing potholes will ensure that water does not pool and find its way to the lower layers of the pavement or cause them to grow. Crack filling is another necessary repair before winter for similar reasons as pothole repair. Cracks in the pavement will certainly let water to the sub-layers and compromise the base of your parking lot.
One way to help protect your pavement from the harsh winter weather is to have a layer of sealcoat protectant to be applied to the surface. Contact your local asphalt contractor to see what repairs you should have completed before the cold really sets in and ask if it is time for a sealant to be applied.
Be Proactive
When it comes to your asphalt parking lot, it is better to be proactive than it is to be reactive. Preparing for winter might be a pain now, but the weather can cause significant damage to your asphalt and end up costing you a lot more after the snow melts. Another item you might want to plan before the first snowfall is any snow removal process, company, or equipment that is needed. Be sure to one use a deicer that is safe for your asphalt surfaces.
Are you preparing for winter and in need of a second opinion? Contact Toste Construction today! Our team is available to assess your parking lot and offer a FREE estimate on necessary repairs.
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.