Winter can be a devastating time for parking lot asphalt. If you’re not careful, then you may need to pay a lot in repairs once the winter season is over. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to keep your parking lot in excellent condition when it is cold out.
1. Inspect It Before Winter Comes
Autumn is a good time of year to hire a professional to see if there is any maintenance your asphalt requires. If there is, then you need to address those issues immediately before the first snow comes. This involves filling in any potholes or cracks. It will be much more difficult for the professionals to carry out these tasks when there is snow on the ground, so it will be easier for everyone to get this work done sooner rather than later.
2. Do Not Pour Salt
Many people use salt to get rid of snow. However, salt wreaks havoc on asphalt. If you use a commercial de-icing product, then those items typically contain more than just salt. They also usually have chemicals that can wear away the asphalt. If you are going to salt your asphalt, then you should consider using a product containing magnesium chloride, which is less harsh on parking lots.
3. Shovel Often
There should be a good drainage system in your parking lot so that snow and rain water are not allowed to build up. When these substances build up too much, they place an excessive amount of weight on the asphalt, increasing the chances of breakage. The snow also causes the asphalt to expand and contract excessively.
4. Remove all Debris
Before snow falls on the asphalt, remove any debris. This will prevent it from freezing once the snowflakes start falling. If you are expecting a long cold winter with many snow days, getting rid of the debris beforehand will avoid any extensive damages that snow can cause after freezing it to the asphalt.
5. Don’t let the snow melt!
Once the snow hits the ground and starts accumulating on the asphalt, make sure to clear out the snow consistently, so it doesn’t melt and refreeze on the pavement. Once it refreezes, it will cause significant damage.
6. Apply Sealant
Over time, the pavement can suffer a lot of damage for many reasons including weather conditions, driving habits, and everyday wear and tear. When the snow starts to fall, every defect in your pavement presents a risk of further damage from the freezing and thawing cycle. Once winter has begun, the outside temperatures are too low to apply a sealcoat!
Coating the pavement before the season will keep it protected. As a bonus, it’ll also give your asphalt a like-new look.
Need Help? Just Give us a Call!
A badly damaged parking lot can keep customers away, so you need to take care of it for all 12 months in the year. Additionally, you do not want to be liable if a customer’s car sustains damage from a pothole. For all your asphalt needs, contact NVM Paving & Concrete at(703) 372-9335.
