Brampton, Canada, December 14, 2015 – Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. (www.suresealpavement.com), the leading provider of asphalt seal-coating in Brampton and Peel Region, is weighing in on seasonal weather forecasts which are predicting increased ice storms this winter season.
Weather forecasts predict a warmer-than-usual winter throughout Canada, with the possibility of this being one of the warmest Canadian winters on record. The warmer temperatures are predicted to bring an increase in ice storms throughout Eastern Ontario. (Source: Anderson, B. “The 2015/2016 Winter Forecast for Canada,” AccuWeather.com, October 21, 2015; http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/anderson/the-20152016-winter-outlook-for-canada/53109356)
“While people may be happier about the warmer weather, property owners might have some cause for concern,” says Lance Bradshaw, president and CEO of Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. “Rainfall is the biggest contributor to pavement and road damage, so a significant increase in ice storms could cause a lot of damage this season.”
According to the weather forecast, the reduction in the amount of snowfall will be compensated by more rainfall than in previous years. This indicates that while the winter in Ontario may not be as warm as previous years, it may be just as warm, if not more-so.
“For people who have not been doing regular maintenance, this type of weather could cause significant damage,” says Bradshaw. “If there are small cracks in a driveway or parking lot, water will seep in during rainfall and could cause a lot of damage. A driveway can look fine on the surface but be completely destroyed underneath.”
Water damage causes damage in pavement by degrading the ground underneath the surface. The result can be craters, sinkholes and potholes, and uneven ground, which can be serious safety hazards and costly to repair.
“The issue is that once you can notice the damage, it ends up costing much more,” notes Bradshaw. “A lot of property owners may think that their driveway is fine, since it’s lasted the past few winters, but it could have been incurring damage that entire time. Once noticeable damage happens, it’s not uncommon for repair to cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the property.”
While there is nothing that property owners can do to prevent rain or water from getting onto their driveway, Bradshaw says the focus should be on removing it as quickly as possible.
“Any lot should have a catch basin for water to drain,” says Bradshaw. “It’s a very basic thing, but we see a lot of properties that don’t have them. It’s basically like a shower drain, and it allows water to flow from your pavement instead of pooling up.”
Maintenance is also important for helping protect pavement from water. In particular, there are a variety of ways that property owners can fill in cracks and stop water damage from occurring.
“Sealing and repaving pavement are the two most common options,” says Bradshaw. “They effectively eliminate any cracks and stop water damage from occurring. Pavement sealing costs much less than repaving, and it’s something which should be done regularly to maintain your property.”
As the leading pavement maintenance contractor in the GTA, Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. specializes in catch basin repairs, rebuilding, and repaving. For more information visit their web site at www.SureSealPavement.com.