How to Prevent Commercial Pavement Failure
We all know from experience that pavement breaks down over time, one way or another. Whether your commercial asphalt begins to ravel, bleed, shove, streak, or sink, allowing these outcomes to go unopposed can eventually result in total failure.
Commercial pavement failure is not only unappealing and unsafe – it’s also expensive to resolve. It’s much cheaper, in the long run, to take good care of your commercial paving via preventative maintenance.
With that in mind, here are four important ways to prevent commercial pavement failure at your facility.
1. Lay the Surface Properly, to Begin With
The first step to preventing pavement failure is making sure the asphalt is properly laid in the first place. Shoddy asphalt paving is doomed to fail long before you should normally expect to see signs of damage. As such, you should always hire a reputable asphalt paving company for your commercial paving needs, and do not be fooled by an unusually low price point; pay more for higher quality.
2. Sealcoat Your Blacktop
Threats to your asphalt come from both above and below. As you might imagine, it’s much easier to shield your pavement from the former, which include sunlight (UV rays), chemicals, moisture (often from snow and rain), impact, and temperature changes.
Blacktop sealcoating offers one of the most effective ways to keep these threats at bay. A proper sealcoat will prevent moisture from gaining entry to your asphalt’s pores, reflect UV rays away from the surface, and provide another layer of protection against physical wear and tear.
It’s important to inspect your asphalt sealcoat at least once a year and reapply a new sealcoat every 2-3 years.
3. Repair Cracks and Holes Quickly
Most severe asphalt problems begin with the smallest of fractures. Minor cracks won’t call too much attention to themselves, nor will they immediately put your pavement at risk of failure.
Still, any opening in your asphalt is a gateway from further damage via debris, moisture, etc. Plus, it’s easier to fix smaller cracks and holes than it is to fill larger ones.
So, the sooner you nip these potential problems in the bud, the better. Staying on top of asphalt repair will prevent total pavement failure and save you time and money in the long run.
4. Resurface when Necessary
No matter how well you care for your commercial pavement, no amount of asphalt paving maintenance or repair can solve every problem. Sometimes, it’s more practical to resurface your entire driveway or parking lot than it is to patch every crack and hole you can find.
While resurfacing is more time-consuming and costly than basic repairs, it’s still less of a burden on your bottom line than a complete milling & reclamation project. When performed by reliable professionals, asphalt resurfacing restores the pavement’s strength and beauty, making it look and feel good as new.
Failure Is Not an Option
At Cassidy Paving, we aim to prevent commercial pavement failure in every way possible to save time, money, and headaches. If you’re concerned about the condition of your asphalt at your New England business, we can help. Call us today at 866-978-9788 to receive a free estimate on your next asphalt project.