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5 TIPS FOR MAINTAINING
YOUR ASPHALT
Published September 8, 2020
We maintain our cars, fix up our houses, landscape our yards–but so often we forget to take care of our driveways and parking lots. Think about how much concrete and asphalt makes up our world. Consider how often you see paving crews working on highways and parking lots.
Asphalt breaks down over time–it’s inevitable. But there are actually plenty of things you can do to prolong the life of your driveway or parking lot. Regular maintenance will preserve structure and prevent cracks, potholes, and other problems that arise from wear and weather.
Repaving can be costly, so here’s a guide to keeping up with the investment you’ve made in your driveway or parking lot.
1. SEALCOATING
The cosmetic factors of sealcoating alone make it a worthwhile investment, but it also serves the purpose of protecting the asphalt from UV and water damage. It fills in smaller cracks and prevents further cracking. Whenever you find your asphalt deteriorating, sealcoating can stop wear and tear from costing you a full replacement.
2. FILL POTHOLES
Potholes often develop because of weather and water damage, and leaving them to deteriorate and cause further damage to your asphalt will end up costing you much more than simply filling the pothole. It’s a fast and relatively inexpensive way to keep your asphalt from breaking down over time–especially with INFRARED PATCHING.
3. GETTING RID OF STANDING WATER/SNOW
Water is one of the biggest threats to the longevity of asphalt. Effectively removing moisture from parking lots is facilitated by proper drainage and grading when the asphalt is first installed. If your parking lot has areas that pool with water, you may want to consider getting it replaced with a properly graded parking lot because you can be sure it will break down more quickly.
In the winter, it’s especially important to remove water from asphalt. Plowing and deicers can help prevent snow from damaging asphalt.
4. FILL CRACKS
Just like potholes, cracks often come up in asphalt because of sun and water damage. The more you can stay on top of filling cracks as they come up, the better your asphalt will hold up over time. Cracks always lead to more cracks–unless you stop them early on.
5. PREVENT HEAVY LOADS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
Asphalt is built to withstand the immense pressure of cars and traffic, but it’s also part of what causes deterioration. If you can mitigate heavy loads, you can prevent wear and tear.
Maintaining your asphalt as damage arises will serve you and save you money in the long run. Don’t wait until costly repairs are necessary; be proactive as problems arise!
CAREERS
At PLM Paving and Concrete we are always looking for quality employees with strong backgrounds in the areas of service that we offer. If you are interested in applying for a job with us to send us your information and we will get back to you shortly.
CONTACT US
Waukesha 262-691-3964
Racine/Kenosha 262-654-1214
Madison 608-251-3565
Milwaukee 262-691-3964
LOCATION
W225N3178
Duplainville Road
Pewaukee, WI 53072