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How Concrete Parking Lot Maintenance Benefits Your Property

December 6, 2022 by Corinne

The quality of your parking lot affects the experience of tenants and other occupants on your commercial property. That is why concrete parking lot maintenance is vital.

Concrete parking lots are popular among businesses because they are durable, easy to maintain, and look good.

Proper parking lot maintenance helps maintain your parking lot’s appearance and prolongs its lifespan. This article discusses four main tasks involved in concrete parking lot maintenance.

Cleaning and Restriping

Several factors determine the level of maintenance your concrete parking lot requires. Among the most important is how you use the parking lot and the types of vehicles that drive and park on it. Parking lot cleaning tasks include

Power sweeping to remove loose debris
Power washing to eliminate oil, grease, and other chemicals
Vacuuming stormwater drainage structures to remove debris
Jetting stormwater lines

Maintaining a clean parking lot benefits your business in several ways:

Improves safety because markings on the concrete are visible
Brightens parking lot at night because a clean parking lot reflects light effectively
Improves the parking lot’s durability
Reduces the risk of slip and fall accidents due to oil and grease

You can also restripe your pavement markings to improve their visibility in low light, making the parking lot easier to navigate.

Pavement marking paint options include everything from affordable waterborne products to highly reflective and durable sprayable thermoplastic products.

Pavement Sealant

Concrete sealants are available in two categories: penetrating and surface sealants. They benefit your concrete parking in many several ways:

It reduces moisture infiltration
Enhances stain resistance
Minimizes deterioration due to the freeze-thaw cycle
Reduces efflorescence formation and mildew/mold growth

Penetrating sealant is invisible because once you apply it, the concrete absorbs it. These sealants typically contain siloxane, silane, siliconates, or silicates. Penetrating sealants are susceptible to deterioration due to freeze-thaw cycles, so you need to reapply the sealant periodically.

Surface sealant products settle on top of the concrete, creating a layer that protects against traffic. They contain urethanes, epoxies, or acrylic resins and are typically used to accentuate a concrete parking lot’s colors and other decorative aspects. You need to reapply surface sealant periodically because it is susceptible to deterioration by traffic.

Joint Resealing

Joint sealants for longitudinal and contraction joints applied post-construction have a lifespan of 5–10 years. You can hire professionals to inspect your concrete parking lot and recommend a solution. Options include:

Removing the existing joint
Cleaning the joint
Preparing for a new seal
Replacing the sealant

Joint sealant typically contains preformed seals, silicone, and hot rubber. It helps keep the joints functional by keeping out debris and other impurities.

Filling Cracks

Concrete parking lot maintenance also involves sealing cracks. Doing so helps keep out water and prevent the crack from expanding due to the freeze-thaw cycle. Professionals recommend leaving hairline cracks alone because they are too small to seal effectively.

Keep in mind that the nature of the crack determines the type of materials used to fill it up. For example, you can fill static cracks with epoxy or other rigid fillers. If the crack is moving, you may need to use flexible filler.

Expert Concrete Parking Lot Maintenance

Keeping your concrete parking lot clean, applying the correct sealant, and filling in cracks are some of the essential concrete parking lot maintenance services you should get from a reliable contractor. Contact NVM Paving & Concrete today to request a quotation.

3 Tips for Patching Asphalt Efficiently Using an Asphalt Patch Truck

December 6, 2022 by Corinne

Can you believe that there are over 4 million miles of public road across the United States?

It is an unfortunate fact that more than 40% of these roads are considered either mediocre or poor and are in need of asphalt repair. While asphalt is great for vehicles, it does not last forever. The good news is that you can use an asphalt patch truck to fix almost any issues.

Are you unsure of how to handle this machinery in the most efficient way? Keep reading to learn the 3 top tips for patching asphalt using an asphalt patch truck.

1. Do Not Speed

While it is understandable that you would want to get the job done as fast as possible, speeding over a damaged road can result in a low-quality fix. It may even get to the point where you will have to scrape the uneven asphalt away before starting all over again. This will make the job much longer and harder than it has to be.

The old saying “slow and steady wins the race” definitely applies to patching asphalt. This is something to keep in mind when maintaining your business’s driveways, parking lots, and more.

2. Remove Any Collected Debris

Are you still wondering how to patch asphalt? Before you attempt to fill a pothole or a series of cracks, you should take the time to remove the debris that has collected inside.

From leaves and dirt to dead bugs and candy wrappers, these things can end up compromising the integrity of your asphalt over time. A wire street broom or a similar tool can come in handy for this task.

There may even be some vegetation that has taken hold in or around the problem areas. This should be uprooted and thrown away as well.

3. Get the Right Amount of Asphalt

If you want more patching asphalt tips, then be sure that you have gauged the amount of asphalt correctly. The last thing you would want is to run out of the material before you have finished the job. This could end up ruining the look and flow.

This is why it is a good idea to survey the area and make note of each crack and hole that needs filling. You should also rate the severity of the damage on a scale from low to high. Creating an asphalt pavement repair game plan can make things much easier when using your asphalt patch truck.

Ready to Use an Asphalt Patch Truck?

Now that you have learned 3 tips for patching asphalt using an asphalt patch truck, you will make any road look as good as new. That way, you can save the day anytime there is an imperfection or even a pothole on your asphalt.

Instead of dealing with these issues on a regular basis, you should seek out the tried and true services of NVM Paving & Concrete. Our customers can always rely on our experience and attention to detail. From asphalt repair and maintenance to parking lot striping and snow removal, we have you covered.

The Different Purposes of Rough Grading vs. Fine Grading

November 7, 2022 by Corinne

Twenty percent of car accidents happen in parking lots. Many of these are not the business’s fault. You can, however, prevent a fair amount of them with a high-quality parking lot.

The first step to getting this is to ensure the proper grading of your lot. To do that, you first need to learn what grading is. Read on to get started with this knowledge by learning the difference between rough grading vs fine grading.

What Is Grading?

Grading refers to the construction process where workers change the slope of a piece of land. Usually, this involves making the land uniformly smooth and flat.

There are plenty of different processes, however. Business owners may want to add a slope to their property that directs water away from vulnerable areas. Grading can also be a major step in creating attractive landscaping features.

What Is Rough Grading vs Fine Grading?

Rough and fine grading are two phases of grading. Usually, rough grading happens first, and fine grading follows after. Most of the differences between the two involve how roughly workers work the soil.

How Rough Grading Works

When workers rough grade a piece of land, they shift large amounts of soil around to form the majority of the slope. This is usually done with heavy equipment such as excavators. Workers may also use laser measuring tools or other kinds to make certain that the slopes are at the correct angle.

The workers must create the right slopes. If they don’t, the land could flood due to drainage problems.

How Fine Grading Works

Workers performing a fine grading process are more concerned with making the land smooth and ready for its intended purpose. This can involve shaping the land a bit. If so, workers will only work with the top two inches of soil at most.

Mostly, though, fine grading involves removing debris that makes the surface uneven, such as rock, and adding an appropriate type of topsoil. What kind of topsoil a worker uses for fine grading depends on the final purpose of the land. For example, more plant-nutritious topsoil may be used for a lawn and a regular one for paving.

Why Is Grading Important for Paving?

The best parking lot is a uniformly smooth one. This will prevent your business’s customers from damaging their cars or tripping over divots or bumps. It’s also important that water drains well so that your customers can comfortably navigate the lot without getting their feet wet.

This isn’t possible without effective rough and fine grading.

Get High-Quality Asphalt Paving Services From Us

Now that you understand the difference between rough grading vs fine grading and their importance, you can find a company that offers the best in these areas. Be sure to ask about their grading processes. They may even be able to give you photos.

While you’re searching, consider our full-service commercial asphalt paving. We’ve paved for a vast number of businesses, facilities, and installations all over the East Coast. Fill out this form and get a free estimate.

Why An Integrated Plan Works Best for Commercial Pavement Management

November 7, 2022 by Corinne

NVM Paving and Concrete has been delivering commercial pavement property services to all of Virginia, Maryland, and DC, for over 25 years. NVM is deemed the area’s top professional parking lot construction, maintenance, and ADA compliance expert!

No matter the type of facility, NVM Paving and Concrete has the expertise, skilled crews, and equipment to provide pavement construction and maintenance solutions. This company is built on providing clients with high-quality pavements and outstanding workmanship.

Integrated Plans for Commercial Pavement Management

Integrated Master Schedule

Regarding project management, budget requirements, and timelines, at NVM Paving and Concrete, we have decades of experience providing the highest quality service in the region. Integrated plans for Commercial pavement management are crucial for cities to oversee their pavement networks properly.

Creating a rolling 5-year pavement management plan with an Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) ensures that all project participants stay informed and can track schedules, costs, and risk activity. An IMS helps decision-makers implement the best cost-effective solutions to maximize their budgets.

Prioritization

During the evaluation process, all pavement inventory is assessed for their distresses and associated conditions. The conditions are then documented for analysis. Once evaluated and rated, the pavements are further divided into categories by condition and grouped according to how they are to be scheduled.

Commercial Pavement Management

Preventive Maintenance

The first tendency may be to expend money on pavements with the worst conditions. However, the best practice is to utilize your maintenance budget in the first segment of a pavement’s lifespan. This is because if the pavement degrades below fair condition, most of its useful service life is over. Preventive maintenance or pavement rehab options instead of reconstruction can significantly reduce costs.

Overlays & Resurfacing

Asphalt resurfacing and structural overlay projects are next on the IMS. Maintenance significantly prolongs a pavement’s lifespan by improving or restoring structural strength and protecting the underlying pavement structure. This type of maintenance may often be repeated during a pavement’s lifecycle.

However, the opportunity can be lost if deterioration continues and pavements fall into disrepair; timing can be crucial.

Reconstruction

Once completing preventive and resurfacing, scheduling the reconstruction projects is next. Pavements in advanced deterioration are not good projects for resurfacing/or structural overlays. The cost of reconstruction may not significantly change year over year, so it may be best to maintain serviceable conditions with minor repairs for these candidates.

Once set up, your Integrated Plan for commercial pavement management should help you track and review your pavement inventories and their condition, check for safety hazards and determine if any issues have developed. A three-year re-evaluation program is practical but adjusting should be done accordingly.

Keep each pavement rating updated
Documenting all repairs and maintenance items that need to be completed
Document details of all work completed in the past 5 years
Keep all construction document copies
Set up budgets for the following five years

By maintaining an Integrated Plan for Commercial Pavement Management, you will always be able to look to the future and plan accordingly, cut down unnecessary costs, expedite timelines and increase your company’s profitability. Contact NVM Paving and Concrete today, and let us show you how we can help.

A Guide: Effective Commercial Sidewalk Snow Removal Equipment

October 4, 2022 by Corinne

Nearly 70% of the population lives in areas that get more than five inches of snow each year, which can be beautiful but can also cause some safety hazards. Those safety hazards are especially dangerous when no one removes snow or ice from roads or walkways quickly, making it difficult to travel through. That’s why having the right commercial sidewalk snow removal equipment is so important.

Clearing sidewalks is especially important for businesses that want to keep their customers safe and able to come to visit their store or office. Commercial sidewalk snow removal equipment will help with this.

The right tools can make any job much more manageable and easy to accomplish. In the middle of a snowstorm, the last thing you want to be doing is trying to work with ineffective tools or scrambling to find tools at all. Read this guide for everything you need to know for a great snow removal strategy.

Determine the Size of Sidewalks

As you’re considering what your snow removal plan is going to be, it’s a good idea to start by making note of how big your sidewalks are. This measurement will include how much sidewalk you have and how wide it is.

It can be tempting to choose to buy equipment in the biggest sizes offered, but this can make your job harder in the end. Finding the right fit for your sidewalks will ensure snow removal in a clean fashion without causing problems to other areas of your commercial space.

Quick De-Icing Application

The actual removal of any snow accumulation is only the first step in a snow removal strategy. It’s equally as important to figure out how to prevent ice from forming and making your walkways a dangerous trap. Applying deicer quickly is a great way to melt that away and clear the path more effectively.

Don’t forget this step as you make your equipment choices!

Think About a Backup Plan

Sometimes our best-laid plans don’t work out for one reason or another, which is why it’s a good idea to have a backup plan in place. Obviously, the larger, more powerful equipment is an easy way to get the job done, but those can run into their own problems. Consider alternative ways to remove snow and ice so you can collect those tools to use in case of an emergency.

Effective Commercial Sidewalk Snow Removal Equipment

When you live in a snowy climate, the best thing you can do is be as prepared as possible before the storms roll in. This includes finding the best commercial sidewalk snow removal equipment for your business.

Many business owners find it helpful to employ a professional company to handle all snow removal tasks for them. Instead of having to figure out how to get the job done before the office opens, they can rely on a team to come out and make all the entrance points safe for anyone coming in that day.

If seeing what our team of pavement professionals can do for you interests you, contact us today!

How to Properly Sweep Snow From Your Commercial Pavement

October 4, 2022 by Corinne

During the summer of 2022, many places across the US experienced record high temperatures. Because of that, it’s hard to believe that the winter will be cold and snowy.

However, the Farmers’ Almanac predicts precisely this outcome. Virginia can expect to see “unreasonably cold” and “snowy” temperatures. The same holds for Maryland and Washington, DC.

When this weather comes, it’s best to have a commercial pavement sweep plan in place. Otherwise, your company could become blindsided when the snow comes.

The South doesn’t always receive heavy snow. As such, business owners may not know how to sweep snow from their company pavement. Fortunately, you can discover the best tips in this guide, so read on to learn more!

Create a Fall Prevention Plan

First, consider how to prevent snow from causing damage to the property. This damage can come from a few places.

First, there’s potential property damage. When snow coats your parking lot, it can cause people to slide and wreck their vehicles. This threat could also damage property in the lot, such as street lights.

Second, there’s the threat to your foot traffic. You could face responsibility if people slip and fall because of snow on your property.

There are a few solutions. First, ensure you place weatherproof floor mats and warning signs for your foot traffic. Then, purchase the necessary insurance policies for these threats.

Regularly Sweep Snow on Commercial Pavement

The next step is to sweep snow on commercial pavement frequently. The longer you allow snow to settle on your property, the more it accumulates. For this reason, it’s crucial to maintain this practice regularly.

How frequently you sweep snow depends on how often snowfall comes. If it only snows once every few weeks, you can snow once or twice to remove it all. However, if it snows more often, it’s necessary to sweep more frequently.

Find a Commercial Company for Sweeping Snow

Sweeping snow without the appropriate tools can endanger your workers. It can also take more time to clean away the snow.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do this alone. Instead, you can hire a commercial sweeping company. These professionals know the best approaches for clearing snow off your property.

Finding a commercial company requires several considerations. These include:

ensuring they have the necessary licensures to sweep snow
searching online reviews to learn their reputation
comparing rates to other companies
ensuring they have the manpower to clean snow on the commercial pavement

These considerations can help you find the best company available!

Consider Working with Us

Many business owners struggle to sweep snow from their property. If that describes you, don’t worry! Instead, consider working with us.

Our company provides comprehensive snow sweeping services. We manage parking lots and concrete maintenance. We also offer additional maintenance services beyond snow removal.

Finally, we service locations in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. We’re happy to provide services to any commercial property in these areas. Contact us today to learn more about how you can prepare for winter!