7 Ways to Maintain Your Asphalt Pavement During Winter
When it comes to paving, it’s a well-known fact that ice and snow can have a negative impact on asphalt surfaces. When the temperature begins to cool down during the winter season, water freezes. As a result, freezing water in small cracks and potholes increases pressure and widens the gap, causing further damage to the asphalt pavement.
It doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t do anything to avoid or minimize it. Of course, there are preventive maintenance steps to take, so you can prepare your asphalt pavement for the coming of winter. Here they are:
-
Do the necessary repairs.
Before the icy weather approaches, remember to have your pavement checked for potholes and cracks. Repairing them as soon as possible prevents water from pooling inside and seeping underneath the asphalt surface. Consider getting in touch with this asphalt paving contractor in Richmond VA, for thorough and affordable services.
-
Look for standing water.
If you can’t do the first step right away, at least be on the lookout for areas where water tends to be stagnant. This is a way for you to remove it immediately even before it turns into ice in the cold weather. You could also take note of them in case you’re planning to have those areas fixed the next season.
-
Clean up debris.
This is necessary because of two main reasons: 1) to prevent debris from freezing and damaging your asphalt pavement and 2) to make sure they don’t get in the way of you removing snow once the season is over. This can be done at home with brooms and blowers. However, if you’re doing this for your commercial establishment, you might want to seek professional help. Either way, this step will make your asphalt pavements clean and in good shape when spring officially rings in!
-
Don’t wait for the snow to melt.
Once the snow melts and penetrates the asphalt surface, it can freeze and expand. Consequently, it makes the ground slippery for vehicles and pedestrians. Meaning to say, it doesn’t only damage the pavement on your parking lot or driveway, but it also makes driving conditions on your property unsafe. We’re sure the last thing you want is for accidents to happen there, right? Be sure to not forget this step, because negligence may lead to serious legal repercussions.
The simplest way to do this is to shovel regularly. Just try to avoid metal shovels with a pointed tip as they may also cause damage. You may also use a plow as an alternative for snow removal, but keep in mind that it is quite tricky. Yes, it’s efficient, but you’re running the risk of scraping the worn areas of your asphalt pavement. This may create more problems in the future than you expect so be careful.
-
Choose the right de-icing agent
There are a plethora of de-icing products on the market today, and it’s important that you know what’s good for asphalt as well as for the environment. Rock salt, for instance, has been proven to have corrosive effects on asphalt. Aside from that, salt in runoff water also increases salinity in rivers, lakes, and drinking water. This affects animals and plants alike. As an alternative, you can opt for sand instead. It ensures improved traction and expedites melting, and has little effect on the environment.
-
Sealcoat your pavement
Adding a sealant to your pavement only makes sure that it has a protective layer that allows it to weather the weather. As a general rule of thumb, this should be done every 2 - 4 years, during summertime, to keep it fresh and rejuvenated before winter hits. By doing so, you can also stray away from expensive repairs and ensure that your parking lot or driveway is well-preserved. Yes, you can thank the sealant later for your durable, strong, and beautiful asphalt pavement. Ask Richmond VA Paving for high-quality driveway and commercial parking lot sealcoating services.
-
Consider crack-filling
If you do not have enough time for sealcoating before snow hits, you might as well do some crack-filling. This can be done by applying asphalt emulsion into small cracks. Beware, many people think it’s also a quick fix to major cracks. But no, it’s just a low-cost way of repairing minor ones to prevent water from infiltrating the surface of the asphalt. If you find that the cracks are more than just minor, seek the help of experts.
These steps will make sure that your parking lot or driveway is in check during and even after winter. Follow them and you can spend the chilly days and nights just the way you want without worrying too much about your pavement! Or you may also want to check out https://www.richmondvapaving.com/ for superior paving and maintenance services. They offer professional help when it comes to taking care of your pavement.