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NVM Paving & Concrete, Inc.

Northern Virginia Paving Company

Asphalt Maintenance

The Complete Guide to Asphalt Milling for Your Commercial Property

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The Complete Guide to Asphalt Milling for Your Commercial Property

What is asphalt milling? It’s a way of recycling old asphalt with new asphalt.

Did you know that as much as 45 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement gets produced annually in the U.S?

Does your commercial property need some work done on the asphalt surface? Do you want to repair the damage or make some cosmetic changes? If so, you may want to consider milling solutions.

Why do this? Asphalt milling is less expensive than replacing the entire asphalt surface. And, it’s better for the environment.

Want to learn more? Keep reading to find out!

What is Asphalt Milling?

What’s the process? Milling is when old asphalt gets ground up. This happens with a large machine that grinds the asphalt into small pieces.

The small pieces of asphalt are then sent to a plant, which mixes the new asphalt and other materials. After mixing, the new asphalt paves over the old asphalt surface.

What are the Benefits of Asphalt Milling?

Asphalt milling has a few benefits over traditional methods of resurfacing asphalt.

For one, it’s less expensive. You won’t have to pay to remove and dispose of the old asphalt. And, you won’t have to pay for a new asphalt surface.

Another benefit is that it’s better for the environment. This process recycles old asphalt. Thus, you won’t need as much new material.

And, since this process grinds up the old asphalt, it can act as a sub-base for the new layer. This helps to stabilize the new surface.

Asphalt milling is also less disruptive than other methods of resurfacing. You won’t have to close your business for an extended time.

Since the new surface lays over the old surface, there’s no need for new curbs or gutters.

Commercial Applications

Asphalt milling is ideal for commercial properties. Some commercial uses are parking lots, office buildings, factories, and warehouses. Milling repair and improve the condition of your commercial property. 

Here are some of the most common applications.

Resurfacing

Milling can resurface an existing surface. This is often done when the surface becomes damaged or worn over time. This can help extend your asphalt’s life and improve its appearance.

Leveling

If you have an uneven surface, milling can also level it. This can make your property much safer and improve its aesthetic appeal simultaneously. 

Repairing Utility Cuts

Utility companies often cut into asphalt to access underground utilities. Once they finish, the cut is usually filled with an asphalt patch. But, these patches can often settle and become uneven over time. 

Milling the area until it’s smooth can help prevent further damage. As well as keeping the commercial property looking its best. 

Start Your Asphalt Milling Project Today

Repaving surfaces with milling is cheaper and causes less disruption. And, it’s environmentally friendly!

Do you have a commercial property that needs resurfacing? If so, check out our milling services!

A Complete Guide On Parking Lot Resurfacing

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Have you noticed that your parking lot looks a little rough lately? Are there cracks in it? Do you see standing water long after a rainstorm?

If so, your parking lot needs parking lot resurfacing. 

When a parking lot isn’t in the best shape, it poses a risk to cars. They can suffer damage from potholes and unlevel ground. The sooner you fix the problems, the better.

If your parking lot could use some work, keep reading to learn more about what resurfacing entails. 

Preparation for Parking Lot Resurfacing

Before resurfacing starts, the parking lot needs to have everything on it removed. Structures on the lot like wheelchair ramps and speed bumps have to be demolished or removed. Structures for utility companies’ wires and pipes will also need handling.

When Do You Need to Resurface?

Over time, parking lots will deteriorate and become worn. Small blemishes are fixable with something as simple as an asphalt patch. 

As time goes on, cracks and tears in the base layer of asphalt will make parking lot maintenance pointless. 

A new parking lot should last for about 25 years. Over time, regular usage and the weather will cause it to deteriorate. Locations that have high accumulations of rain and snow will cause the lifespan of a parking lot to be shorter than average. 

If the asphalt is dull and dry but otherwise fine, replacing the sealcoat should be enough. Asphalt sealcoat protects the lot from the elements and regular use. 

When old parking lots are resurfaced, blemishes get filled in, and it receives a new coat. 

You shouldn’t resurface if the asphalt is worn down to its foundation layers. When this occurs, repaving is your only option. 

How Does Parking Lot Resurfacing Work?

Deploying an asphalt layer tends to be cheap, but some other services come with resurfacing, which can raise the price. 

Resurfacing is an intense process. If you spot standing water or a large network of cracks, it’s time for your lot to get some treatment. Your lot will receive a cleaning and will receive a leveling of new asphalt. 

Hot asphalt gets injected into the lot, to mold it into a more effective shape. Leveling binders can cost you, and the company handling your resurfacing should show you the unleveled areas in your lot. 

Geotextiles are another offer that may be presented to you. They are set on the lot before they apply the new surface. Geotextiles are waterproof and provide more rigidity to the new surface. 

Comprehensive Paving and Concrete

When you spot serious issues with your lot, you should get parking lot resurfacing services as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more damage it will sustain, which means more money to fix them. 

At NVM Paving & Concrete, we provide a quality experience to meet your construction needs. Along with asphalt repair, we also do parking lot striping, concrete maintenance & coating, snow removal, and many other services. Give us a call to receive a quote for a job you need to be done.  

Summer Maintenance Tips for Your Parking Lot and Driveway

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Summer Maintenance Tips for Your Parking Lot and Driveway

Research shows that about 5% of US urban land comprises parking spaces. Having a clean area to park and a well-maintained driveway boosts the appeal of your home.

Also, maintaining your lot and a driveway is crucial to reducing injuries. The presence of cracks and potholes in such areas can lead to flat tires. People are likely to slip and fall on ill-maintained parking areas and driveways.

Regular maintenance is vital since summer heat expands asphalt and widens cracks. Here are summer tips for maintaining your parking lots and driveways.

Sealcoat Your Parking Area

Sealcoating involves covering your asphalt with a durable layer that improves your driveway’s resistance to sun rays. Applying a sealcoat in your parking lot reduces damages like cracking and staining. Sealing the spaces where people can park every three to five years keeps it intact and lessens injuries.

Although sealcoating may seem like an unnecessary expense, it saves you money eventually. Your lot and driveway will regain a fresh new look. Besides, sealcoating gives your driveway flexibility to handle traffic without creating potholes.

Repair Cracks and Potholes

High summer heat causes your asphalt to become malleable and soft. Summer temperatures can rise to 1490F, and this high heat damage causes depressions on the wheel paths. Such depressions then turn to potholes and cracks.

It’s crucial to repair your driveway and parking lot as soon as you notice any cracks and potholes. To prevent cracking from becoming extensive, ensure you fill them with asphalt or crack fillers. Hiring an expert helps you fill the potholes to limit injury cases and damages to your car.

Perform Regular Cleaning

Regular cleaning is a summer maintenance tip that ensures your parking lot and driveway retain their value. Sweeping every morning helps your remove leaves and debris, making your home look occupied.

Besides, cleaning removes oil stains and any unnecessary trash that may cover cracks or potholes. Having a clean driveway helps you conduct a faster inspection to assess any cracking and uneven surfaces.

Remove Stagnant Water

Water can cause significant damage to your driveway or parking lot. Pooling water weakens areas where you park, causing water to seep into the sublayers. During summer, the sun’s heat causes water to have air gaps that weaken the asphalt from within the sublayers.

Since a weakened driveway can’t handle weighty objects, it can become uneven and quickly develop potholes. Also, allowing water to settle on your lot eases mildew growth, affecting your parking space’s quality. You can avoid further asphalt repairs by draining water and keeping your driveway space dry.

Maintain Your Parking Lot and Driveway During Summer

Maintaining your parking lot and driveway helps you reduce repair costs. Moreover, regular maintenance improves your home’s curb appeal. It also enables you to prevent injuries to people and damage to your car.

At NVM Paving & Concrete, we provide asphalt repair and sealcoating. We can also construct and repair your parking area with concrete or asphalt. Reach out to us for all your parking lot maintenance needs.

How To Save Time and Money with an Asphalt Parking Lot

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Asphalt Parking Lots

When it comes to managing a commercial building, there are a lot of factors that require your consideration. Unfortunately, for many property managers, one of the responsibilities that fall to the wayside is the maintenance of the parking lot. At NVM Paving & Concrete, we believe that you shouldn’t have to worry about your parking lot. To avoid ongoing concerns, building owners should consider an asphalt parking lot.

Asphalt Is Safer and Smoother

On the one hand, asphalt has a smooth appearance that may increase your business’s curb appeal. The fact that it remains smooth and durable also increases the safety rating. When you have a parking lot riddled with potholes and cracks, you run the risk of guests or staff injuring themselves on the premises.

Accidents in your parking lot can cost you money in lawsuits and damages. They can also damage your building’s reputation. Asphalt is skid-resistant and causes markings to look more vibrant. People are less likely to have accidents when using an asphalt parking lot.

Asphalt Requires Less Downtime

Downtime can harm your business. Most business owners do not have time to shut down their business for prolonged periods. If you have a poor-quality parking lot, odds are you will run into problems in the future. You may be more likely to require repairs or a complete replacement sooner than you would with other materials.

We install asphalt quicker than other materials to keep business losses due to construction down to a minimum. Likewise, asphalt requires less maintenance. During the winter’s freezing and thawing cycles, it holds up and only needs occasional sealcoating to prevent cracks.

When it comes to your business’s time and money, you cannot afford to waste either. At NVM Paving & Concrete, we understand the importance of a long-lasting, durable parking lot. Call us today at 703-423-0471 or email us to find out how an asphalt lot can save you time and money.

Important Facts: Pavement and Temperature Changes

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Temprature Changes

As the temperature changes into winter weather, the professional paving of your parking lot is essential. While paving your parking lot might seem like a straightforward process, it contains crucial elements of chemistry and engineering. That is because just any mix of materials won’t hold up in changing conditions. The variable weather of the D.C, Maryland, and Virginia areas, which receive everything from blazing hot days to freezing temperatures, demands a precise mix of materials put down in optimal conditions.

At NVM Paving & Concrete, our professionals use a quality mix of liquid asphalt and base layers. The materials form bonds that cause aggregates to join together into quality asphalt. Over time, due to pressures from the weather, this bond weakens.

The Impact of Heat

During the hot summer months, direct sunlight and heat can cause the surface of a parking lot to expand. Once this happens, cracks begin to develop, which can lead to significant issues. As cracks widen, water will enter and penetrate the subsurface layer of asphalt, and the added moisture erodes the materials and destroys the integrity of the lot. Air gaps can also form, causing depressions on the surface, making it unsafe for pedestrians or vehicles to move around freely. Over time, the parking lot will develop potholes forcing you to repair them or completely repave them, which means this will be costly.

The Impact of Cold

During the winter months, temperatures can fluctuate above and below freezing, and while there may not be any precipitation on the ground, there could still be moisture under the surface. When snow, rain, sleet, or hail enter a cracked asphalt area and the temperature warms, water seeps through. Once the temperatures drop again, the water freezes and expands, pushing the cracks further apart. This continuous freeze and thaw process can widen already made cracks and cause significant and dangerous damage like potholes.

The standard freeze and thaw process is part of nature, but it can slowly wreak havoc on paved surfaces. As moisture penetrates the asphalt and temperatures drop during the winter months, the ice pushes outward. This has the power to gradually weaken the layers of the parking lot, resulting in the formation of cracks and potholes.

Rain can also be problematic in cold weather, especially if the paved surface has a significant slope. A steep incline can result in the rain running down the liquid asphalt and eventually eroding the material’s top layer. Over time, the paved area can wear away and become mainly rock and aggregate.

For all your pavement construction needs and maintenance solutions, contact us by calling 703-423-0471 or emailing us. 

What Should You Consider Before You Hire a Paving Company?

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What to Think About

Your parking lot receives traffic every day, which can cause the surface to wear out. To make sure the asphalt is safe for your customers and employees, you need to have the surface repaved every so often. At NVM Paving and Concrete, we know that hiring a paving specialist can be an overwhelming process. But, with these three things to consider, hiring a paving company will be easy as pie.

Ask About the Cost

Your business does not have an infinite budget to cover maintenance costs, so you want to ensure that a paving company can provide quality work. When you interview professionals, ask for an estimate with a full breakdown of the price. Typically, paving companies use the size and condition of your parking lot to determine how much the job will cost. If your lot is not in good condition or the company needs specialized equipment to do the job, the cost may increase. Knowing exactly what you are paying for and the kinds of fees you should expect will allow you to track your budget.

Ask About Credentials

At NVM Paving and Concrete, we understand that not every company will have the expertise that you are looking for. Do your due diligence and look at the professional licenses each company has so that you know what they are qualified to do. Additionally, it is important for paving companies to both understand and meet specific guidelines for handicap parking and pedestrian safety.  This will create a smooth flow during heavy traffic and prevent any collisions.

Ask About the Timeline

As you interview paving companies, ask how long it will take to complete the job. You may have to close your business to account for the construction. Inclement weather and the time of year can also make a job take longer and you need to know how the timeline may affect your business.

If you are ready to repave your parking lot, we are ready to help you. Contact NVM Paving and Concrete at 703-426-0471 so we can help you start the process.