Believe it or not, summer heat and UV rays from the sun can be just as tough on your asphalt pavement as winter elements but in different ways. Blacktops attract and retain a lot of heat, especially in the middle of July when peak temperatures average between the high 20s and low 30s (degrees Celsius). Asphalt pavement in the summer can feel a lot like hot coals. Eventually, it becomes dry and brittle, which can lead to some weak spots as well as surface and underground damages caused by a combination of heat and constant usage.
Here are some great tips to help your asphalt pavement beat the summer heat this year.
Inspect Your Pavement Regularly
Large pavement damages don’t always start off that way. They start off as small cracks and eventually expand over time as more vehicles drive over them and they fill up with water and debris. For this reason, it’s important to set aside a little bit of time at least once a week to inspect your asphalt pavement thoroughly for minor damages. The sooner you identify small damages, the sooner you can fix them and prevent them from becoming larger and more expensive to fix later on.
If you don’t have the time or wherewithal to do this yourself, then you should hire a reputable commercial paving company in your area to do it for you.
Keep Up a Pavement Cleaning Schedule
Maintaining a clean asphalt pavement that’s free of organic matter and inorganic debris prevents minor and major damages. In addition to increasing the aesthetic and curb appeal of your property, it can also help extend the lifespan of your asphalt pavement.
Loose debris can blow across your parking lot and get trapped inside your catch basin or get stepped and driven on repeatedly to the point where it gets crushed into the pavement. Both scenarios are bad news for your asphalt. Crushed up debris combined with the heat from the sun, which is already making your asphalt brittle, can cause the asphalt to break apart and lead to serious structural damage.
Perform Pavement Repairs and Maintenance
Make sure to identify and repair asphalt pavement issues and damages immediately to prevent them from getting worse and more expensive over time. Fill in cracks and potholes, clean up oil stains, and take the time to restripe your parking lot in the summer.
Control Pooling Water
Like debris, pooling water can have a negative impact on your asphalt pavement. Water that collects in certain parts of your parking lot can cause the asphalt to erode over time. It’s also potentially a symptom of a much larger problem. When water pools, it could indicate that your catch basin is defective or clogged. It could also be an indication of poor asphalt construction in some areas where there are dips and depressions that collect water.
Implement Vehicle Weight and Size Limits for Commercial Parking Lots
Some commercial parking lots are only equipped to handle the weight of smaller vehicles like SUVs, sedans, motorcycles, or vans. Large transport and delivery trucks that weigh a lot more than these vehicles can place a great deal of pressure on the asphalt substrate, causing it to buckle in some areas. If your parking lot is primarily designed for commercial use, then you may want to implement a strict vehicle weight and size limit to prevent damages caused by larger vehicles.
Hire Expert Pavement Contractors in the GTA
Your search for “commercial paving contractors near me” and “commercial asphalt paving companies near me” is over. Trust the asphalt experts at Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. to take good care of your asphalt parking lot this summer. Contact us today!