When preparing for the coming winter, property managers should consider asphalt preventive maintenance for parking lots and roadways. Preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid expensive repairs in the future.
Asphalt is a flexible and durable material, but if it does not have proper drainage, it can develop cracks and potholes that will require expensive repairs. Many of these problems will be aggravated by freeze-thaw cycles during the winter.
At Paris Construction & Brant Asphalt Paving, we recommend asphalt preventive maintenance as a way to reduce upkeep costs for commercial properties. These preventive check-ups are included as part of our annual property maintenance plans and can lessen the administrative burden on business owners and property managers.
Here are our top tips for asphalt preventive maintenance:
1. Check If Surfaces Have Settled
Before the winter comes, you should check to see if any of your asphalt surfaces have settled. Do you see any depressions on your lots where standing water is accumulating? Are catch basin grates or water valve frames sticking up from the surrounding asphalt?
If you have any depressions on your property, these areas can gather snowmelt over the course of the winter and the asphalt may be damaged as a result. Raised metal edges present a risk as they may be hit by a passing plough and torn free.
We recommend resurfacing any settled asphalt before the winter arrives.
2. Fix Asphalt Cracks and Other Damages
Do you have large sections of asphalt cracking or potholes on your parking lot or in your roadways? It will not be possible to address these problems during the winter and their condition may worsen before the spring arrives.
It is recommended that you repair major asphalt paving damage in the fall, before the winter worsens any existing problems. As a general rule, you do not want to lay asphalt paving after the ground has frozen. When paving, you want to the surface to be stable and avoid any expansion or contraction of the new asphalt.
Our team can lay asphalt paving as late as the middle of December, depending on the weather — but we get busy, so make sure you call soon!
3. Create a Plan for Snow Management
The final step in your asphalt preventive maintenance plan should be snow management. If you have just a built a new facility or new lot, it is particularly important to think about where you are going to put excess snow in the winter.
Road salt is bad for your stormwater systems; it can corrode the metal of catch basins and may require repairs in the future. In addition, snow debris may contain gravel, sand, or small stones that can silt up your catch basins over the course of the winter.
If possible, you want snow to be able to drain naturally off your property. In a worst case scenario, you should ensure that there are several options for drainage. Try to divide snow piles or place them near several catch basins.
If you are looking for help with preventive maintenance for your asphalt this winter, contact our team to get a quote today.
