Are you worried about how this snow is going to affect your asphalt? Your parking lot may have looked beautiful last week, but when this snow melts away, what will you be looking at? Are you going to find a lot in good repair or a lot riddled with potholes and cracks? Unfortunately, too many commercial property owners find their asphalt lots in poor condition at winter’s end. Why?
There’s a Freeze and Thaw Cycle
The cold temperatures themselves play a role in damaging your asphalt. If it’s cold enough to snow, you’ll likely be dealing with the effects of frozen water as well. If there are any cracks, either large or small, in the asphalt to begin with, the snow and water will settle inside. As it freezes, those cracks will expand, and then when it thaws, the water will sink further, causing more damage to the sublayers.
Snow Covers the Damages
Unfortunately, a beautiful snowfall could cover up some severe damage in your asphalt parking lot. Even if you have the lot plowed regularly, there will be a pile of snow at one end. The weight of that huge snow pile could create cracks in your asphalt, and you won’t notice those cracks until the snow is melted. As it melts, it’s going to seep down into the cracks it created. Just like if you had snow leak through the sides of your casement window air conditioners and the windows they were installed between.
Ice Melt Causes Asphalt Issues
An icy parking lot is dangerous for many reasons. Leaving the lot untreated puts your customers and clients in danger. Unfortunately, many deicers used to create a safer parking lot for people can cause serious damage to your parking lot. If you want to keep your lot safe from ice without damaging the asphalt, consult a professional before deicing the lot yourself.
Contact the Professionals
At NVM Paving & Concrete, we are committed to keeping your asphalt parking lot in the best shape possible all year long. Call 703-423-0471 or email us today to schedule asphalt maintenance services.
