Top Signs You Need to Hire an Experienced Pavement Maintenance Contractor

If your parking lot is paved properly, it will last for years, requiring little pavement maintenance. This is a project that requires extra care and attention to detail. That is why it is recommended that property owners hire a pavement contractor when it comes to maintaining or repairing their parking lot.

A paving contractor can provide the best material and equipment for getting the job done and supply you with results that will last. If you’re in a newly built property, it is recommended that you wait at least two years before you call a paving company to refinish your parking lot. This will give the grade a chance to settle and create a strong base. If it’s been more than two years, find a stretch of warm and dry weather to book paving services.

8 Signs Your Asphalt Pavement Driveway Needs Repairs

Whether it’s because your parking lot was paved during a stretch of hot or rainy weather or it wasn’t paved properly, issues typically start to arise within the first one to two years. If you have gone more than six years without pavement maintenance, your pavement will start to experience major issues. The following are some of the top signs that you need to hire an experienced pavement maintenance contractor this spring.

Fatigue Cracking

Also known as alligator cracking, if your property experiences heavy traffic, this can be the most obvious sign of damage. This can also occur if the concrete for the asphalt is not mixed properly or is of low quality. Improperly mixed concrete can also become brittle over time. A pavement contractor will make sure that the material is mixed properly and use quality materials that are guaranteed to last.

Bumps and Heaves

Property owners in Southern Ontario are all too familiar with pavement bumping and heaving, especially during cold weather. The freeze and thaw cycle causes pavement to heave. If the soil underneath the pavement is susceptible to this, then improperly mixed or installed pavement could heave over the course of the winter. Moisture evaporating in the soil can also cause heaving.

Longitudinal Heaving

This type of pavement damage occurs in high-traffic areas where the asphalt was improperly compacted. A paving company will make sure that this is done properly.

Potholes

The most common type of repair service that clients call paving companies for in the spring is the repairing of potholes. A pothole typically forms in areas where pavement is cracking. Potholes can become deep, causing water to accumulate and resulting in damage to the undersides of vehicles if they pass over.

Those are just a few of the myriad of issues that can arise if your parking lot is not paved properly. That is why it’s worthwhile to leave pavement maintenance to the professionals.

Drainage Problems

A fully functional drainage system is absolutely crucial to maintaining the lifespan of your asphalt parking lot or driveway and preventing severe water damage from occurring. One of the major indicators that your drainage system or catch basin is malfunctioning is if you notice a large amount of standing or pooling water collected in certain parts of your pavement. Long-standing water can cause rigorous erosion and ultimately break down the structural foundation of your asphalt over time. This will inevitably result in costly future repairs for you as the property owner, so it’s imperative that this problem is diagnosed and repaired post-haste.

Weathered or Faded Appearance

Another obvious indication that it may be time to repair your asphalt parking lot or driveway is if you notice the colour of the blacktop is faded or the line markings have completely disappeared. In many cases, this is a sign of prematurely ageing asphalt that either wasn’t properly mixed, installed, or maintained throughout its lifetime. The strong UV lights from the sun as well as other external environmental elements can also contribute to creating a weathered and faded appearance in your asphalt, so it’s extremely important that you take the proper precautions in protecting your asphalt as much as possible.

Crumbling Pavement

Crumbling pavement is typically associated with major disrepair such as large cracks and potholes that have increased in size over time due to consistent use. These types of damages need to be taken very seriously and require immediate repair because they could quickly become a liability issue for you as a property owner. Loose asphalt can damage the bottom of vehicles, scrape the surface of your pavement and cause other damages, or even cause potentially serious injury to anyone who uses your property. It’s important to figure out the root cause of crumbling pavement and hire an asphalt driveway paving contractor to remedy the issue.

Faded Sealant

The importance of regularly applying fresh sealant can’t be stressed enough. Resealing your asphalt driveway or parking lot at least once every two to three years will not only keep it looking fresh for a longer period of time, but it also protects it from succumbing to the elements. Make sure to properly apply sealant whenever the weather permits and allow plenty of time for it to cure.

Trust Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. for Your Asphalt Repairs!

Ontario has experienced a pretty harsh winter season these past few months, so it’s no wonder that a lot of locals have been desperately Googling “driveway repair near me”. Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. is the answer to your search query. We’ve been installing repairing, maintaining, and repairing residential and commercial asphalt parking lots and driveways in Toronto and the GTA for over 20 years now and our seven-year service and product warranty give our clients the peace of mind they need to trust us to do the job right consistently. To learn more about the services we offer or to get a free quote, please contact us.