How the Summer Heat Affects Commercial Asphalt Pavement

Summer sunshine…there’s nothing bad about it. Well, almost. It’s true that summer can provide a lot of fun-in-the-sun, but if there’s one thing it can affect negatively—especially because of the sun—it is asphalt. If you’re a business owner with large commercial asphalt pavement surfaces, you need to know the truth about how asphalt is affected in hot weather.

Below we list some of the major consequences hot weather has on asphalt

Fades Asphalt Line Striping

You need to make sure all the stripes and line paintings on your asphalt are clear and well-marked. What many people don’t realize is that the sun’s ultra-violet (UV) rays can cause these lines on commercial asphalt to fade over time. In the same way long-term sun exposure can bleach out upholstery colours, the sun can fade asphalt line stripes, and this can lead to safety hazards and traffic violations.

Weakens Pavement Due to UV Rays

Along with fading line striping on asphalt, the sun’s UV rays can also weaken the strength of the asphalt itself. Like other paving materials, asphalt is a comprised of a lot of different components and, as such, creates its own binding agents. With time, the sun can dry out the asphalt, and therefore the bindings within it can break down. This causes cracking, surface unevenness, and water seepage that can cause further damage to both your asphalt and your whole property as well.

Forms Cracks and Potholes Due to High Temperatures and Heat Expansion

In this part of the world, we often forget just how often seasons change, and the way the day-to-day thermometers rise and fall. In the summer, while the heat may feel good on our faces, the sun’s heat causes asphalt to expand more. This would be fine if temperatures remained constant, but since they often revert to colder temperatures, this constant expansion-contraction process causes the pavement to crack even further. You often don’t see this until after a few seasons and the asphalt has expanded and contracted more than once and begun to show it’s breakdown.

Allows Water Infiltration Due to Improper Drainage

This is where the big problems arise: the sun’s effects on asphalt, causing it to move and crack, eventually makes the pavement porous. Thus, whenever wet weather rears its head, the whole asphalt surface can take on more water. Especially if there is no drainage or tiling in place, asphalt can retain that water for long periods of time and the water can eventually corrupt the asphalt and leave it in ruin.

Hire Professional Asphalt Pavement Contractors for Your Commercial Property

Don’t let the aforementioned consequences get you worried. You just need the right commercial pavement contractor with the knowledge and know-how to install your asphalt properly while troubleshooting any possible risks thereafter. Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. has just the right staff on-hand with the best commercial asphalt expertise. We’re proud of our 25-year-old BBB A+ commercial paving reputation and look forward to helping you with your asphalt needs. Please contact us for more information.