Five Habits to Foster for Protecting Your Asphalt Investment

Once your fresh asphalt parking lot is established, your job is to maintain it in optimal condition. How can you contribute to the excellent appearance and fitness of your asphalt? Our experts on asphalt paving in Kerrville TX, offer these few defensive habits to start.

Guard Long-Term Parking

Asphalt is a stable substance for regular parking lot use, but it is at risk if something is parked on the surface for extended periods. The immediate danger is that divots, impressions, or cracks could develop if an object's weight is not evenly dispersed. A fast and easy way to evade this issue is to save some plywood or other wide boards nearby and put these beneath tires, jacks, or support braces.

Bypass Harsh Driving and Turns

The way you operate on asphalt helps keep it in mint shape. Movements like turning the wheel when the automobile is parked press tires into the pavement and could create grooves or scuff marks. Develop habits of keeping cars in motion and completing wide, smooth turns. Avoid quick starts and stops, as these can also provoke unsightly tire tracks on the pavement.

Repair Holes and Cracks Early

Keep up with standard asphalt maintenance. Minor imperfections such as gaps, gouges, or holes will grow larger and more profound as they are exposed to fray from usage and the elements. Precipitation and snow, for example, will find their way into slight cracks and add to their damage from the inside. Ignoring a minor issue causes something that once may have been a modest, barely-visible repair to become a large one.

Clean Debris Regularly

The straightforward act of keeping asphalt clean supports its overall health. However, as waste builds up, it can induce permanent marks or impressions, especially in areas where vehicles run over regularly. Cleaning the lot also helps you track when you need to make restorations or remove something with possible damage. Make adjustments to landscaping to stop recurring problems.

You should clean up stains and spills from oil, gas, or household chemicals as quickly as possible. These may not be as readily visible as they would be on concrete, but you shouldn't ignore them. Diesel fuel is hazardous for asphalt as it can liquefy the binding agents that keep asphalt stable and sturdy.

Restrict Certain Automobiles

Don't let just anyone use your asphalt lot or driveway. Huge equipment can be too weighty for many traditional asphalt bases and could crack or indent them. You should divert oversized or overweight automobiles such as garbage trucks, heavy construction gear, or loaded tractor-trailers.

If you run a business or your lot is open to the masses, put up signs that prohibit the use of such autos and speak with workers about the significance of observing these regulations. For a residential lot, speak with anyone who may need to operate such a vehicle — like your trash disposal service — and make alternate arrangements. You might also be able to restrict them to early morning hours when the pavement is cool and strong.

Consider these five habits for protecting your pavement. Then, call us when you need asphalt paving in Kerrville TX. We want to be your paving contractor.