Asphalt Maintenance Information For Commercial Parking Lots
Your company's asphalt parking lot can be an important part of the property for allowing workers and customers to comfortably visit your property. If you are responsible for maintaining your business's parking lot, learning more about your asphalt pavement can help you keep the grounds in good condition.
Why Are Alligator Cracks Particularly Problematic For Asphalt Surfaces?
Alligator cracking can be a very common issue that asphalt surfaces will experience as they age. Unfortunately, these cracks can be especially problematic for your parking lot. When alligator cracks form, they will have the tendency to rapidly grow in size and spread across much of the surface of the asphalt. While these cracks will typically form as shallow surface issues, they can allow large amounts of water into the pavement's interior. This can severely weaken it and may even contribute to the foundation of the asphalt eventually failing. In many instances, alligator cracks will be best repaired through the use of resurfacing projects that will be able to fully restore the surface of the pavement.
Are Deicing Chemicals Harmful To Asphalt Surfaces?
Commercial properties will need to keep their parking lots free of snow and ice during the winter months. Otherwise, the risks of accidents and injuries can be very high, which may lead to lawsuits and other legal liabilities for the business. In order to combat this, businesses may use deicing chemicals to help melt ice and snow that may be accumulating on the surface of the pavement. Unfortunately, these substances can gradually degrade the asphalt and may shorten its lifespan. If you are wanting to avoid this problem, there are thermal warming systems that can heat up the asphalt just enough to melt ice and snow without having to use abrasive chemical products.
What Is Involved With Replacing An Asphalt Parking Lot?
When your asphalt driveway reaches the end of its lifespan, replacing it will be a major undertaking for the property, but it can be essential for keeping the grounds easily accessible. The first step in this process will be removing the previous layer of asphalt. Individuals may not realize that it is possible to recycle asphalt, and it is common for asphalt paving services to have equipment that can break up and collect the old asphalt so that it can be sent to a recycling facility. After the previous layer is removed, the new asphalt will be poured into place. Unlike concrete, asphalt will not require many weeks of curing time to fully harden, which can allow line markings to be applied much sooner so the pavement can be ready for use.
Contact a professional asphalt paving service to learn more.