Asphalt Repair: The Top Three Signs that Asphalt Repair is Overdue.

Property managers and owners have so many responsibilities from day to day that sometimes it's a miracle that they find the time at all to manage their asphalt repair needs.  So with this in mind, I thought it would be helpful to them and any other parking lot maintenance manager to create a list of the top three things to look for when it comes to their asphalt repairs.

The Top Signs it's Time for New Asphalt

1. Cracked Asphalt: This may seem like common sense, but the simple fact is that if your parking lot is cracking, you will soon have a much more serious issue to contend with.  Stated simply, cracking on asphalt is the beginning stage of bigger problems.  Think of it like a tooth with a small surface cavity.  Sure its mostly a visual issue in the sense that the tooth is still strong and you feel no pain however, the reality is that, like the tooth bigger problems are lurking below the surface.  Cracking on asphalt is the first stage of trouble that a much larger and more more expensive problems is coming. The quickest solution to remedy this situation is to seal the cracks and re seal coat the parking lot.

1. Bird Baths: Low spots in your asphalt or "bird baths" are indicators of a problem that is happening below the asphalts surface.  The main reason bird baths form is that the earth below the surface is moving.  Often times, the earth is not properly compacted before that asphalt is installed and over time gravity causes the soil to start shifting.  In return, the asphalt on the surface will begin to sink, causing the bird bath to form.  Another possible cause is that sprinklers in planters may be leaking too much water under the surface.  This can cause soil  in the surrounding areas to shift and, in return, low spots will form.  When calculating  your exterior maintenance budget, be sure to include a line item for these early warning sign under the heading of asphalt repair.  If treated as they form, it will extend the over all life span of your asphalt parking lot by many years.

1. Rough Asphalt: Rough asphalt or eroded asphalt is typically caused by not maintaining a structured asphalt maintenance plan.  Another factor may simply be that your asphalt is just really old.  When new asphalt is installed, it has the ability to absorb large amounts of pressure from daily vehicle traffic.  As that asphalt ages, it can lose it's ability to remain flexible under pressure.  Asphalt typically begins  to dry out after ten years depending on your environment.  Furthermore, if sealcoating isn't performed on an annual basis, the asphalts ability to remain flexible will be greatly compromised. The best defense is to always include seal coat and striping into your budget at least every other year.  Trying to extend out the maintenance further than that will cause larger problems in the future.

Trust Empire Parking Lot Services for your Asphalt Repair