Having An Asphalt Parking Lot Installed? 3 Maintenance Tips

by Grace Motley

If you are having a parking lot installed for your business, it will likely be made from asphalt. Business owners and contractors like asphalt because it is low cost and easy to maintain, and it is quicker to install when compared to concrete. To help you, below are three maintenance tips for your new parking lot.

Look for Damage

First, check the parking lot regularly for any damage. Finding damage early can save you a lot of money in repairs, as you can get things repaired quickly. If you see one small crack, you can use a crack filler to repair it. A small crack will quickly become much worse over time. Cars driving over the cracks is one thing that will cause more damage. The cracks could even become large enough to create potholes. This could result in your customers damaging their cars, which you may have to pay for. 

Cracks are not common with asphalt because it is a porous material. This means rain won't pool on top of it as much as it will with concrete, but cracks can still happen.

Clean the Parking Lot

You also need to clean the asphalt on a regular basis. This should be done about once a month. This will remove surface debris like dirt, leaves, etc. Your asphalt will not get stained as a result, and this can help prevent damage. Oil stains should be cleaned quickly, as oil can be difficult to get off. You can do this by using a degreasing asphalt cleaner. 

Clean up fuel stains as soon as you can as well. Hire a professional to clean your parking lot for you if you do not have time to do this yourself or if your parking lot is very large. Fuel also has a bad smell to your customers.

Sealcoat Your Parking Lot

Hire a company to sealcoat your parking lot. Sealcoating can protect the asphalt from the sun's rays and fluids that come from vehicles. You will have to sealcoat the parking lot again every few years. Sealcoating also makes your parking lot look nice to your customers.

It takes time to sealcoat a parking lot, so consider hiring a professional to do this for you. They will likely put on more than one coat. This takes more time, as the first coat has to completely dry before a second coat is put on.

The asphalt pavement contractor will give you much more information on how to properly care for your new parking lot. Check out websites like http://www.phend-brown.com to learn more.

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