You chose to have an asphalt paving company install a new pavement or overlay an existing one. You are happy with the results, and you want to enjoy those results for as long as possible. Your contractor may have indicated a useful life of anywhere from 15 years to as much as 30 years for your pavement, but you could be replacing it in as little as five years if you do not take care of it. Proper care begins as soon as the paving contractor completes the installation. If you want to make sure that you maximize the life of your pavement, there are a few things you should do, and there are a few things that you should not do.
After a Fresh Asphalt Paving Project – The Do’s and Don’ts
What Would A Paving Company Recommend That I Do After a Fresh Paving Project?
The first thing you should do is not drive on your new pavement for at least 24 hours, and a longer wait is better if you can manage it. The time of year can also affect the minimum time that you need to wait. When paving Austin TX properties in the winter, many contractors set the minimum time at 48 hours, and 72 hours may also be the target in some instances. Other things that you should do are listed below.
• Clean up gas, diesel, oil, and other leaked automotive fluids immediately. Asphalt is a petroleum distillate, and it once existed happily with its fellow distillates. When they come together, they will try to reunite. This can inflict damage on an old pavement, but it can cause irreparable harm to a fresh one.
• If the pavement is a parking lot or street, do all that you can to encourage drivers to operate their vehicles sensibly. Post speed limit signs, install speed bumps, or post signs banning drag racing, peeling out, or spinning donuts.
• Be sure to monitor the weight of the vehicles driving on your new pavement. Your paving company designed your pavement to support vehicles of certain weights. Allowing heavier vehicles access to your pavement can result in severe, almost immediate harm.
• If your new pavement is an asphalt driveway, try to park your car differently every time. For example, alternate sides of your driveway, change how far into the driveway you pull, or alternate between parking in your garage and on your driveway.
• Schedule the preventive maintenance procedures that your asphalt paving company recommended, especially your sealcoating. Your paving contractor should be able to tell you how quickly you can sealcoat your pavement. Normally, it will be at least three months, but you need to be sure that you do not wait longer than a year. If your paving contractor does not offer maintenance services, start interviewing parking lot maintenance companies so that you will be ready when the time comes.
What Would an Asphalt Paving Company Recommend That I Not Do After a Fresh Paving Project?
Asphalt can sometimes take 10 or 12 months to fully cure, so your new pavement will require special attention for its first year.
• Do not allow heavy loads to remain stationary for more than a day or two. If you park your camper or boat trailer on your asphalt driveway, the tongue or wheels can leave impressions that result in low spots. If you use your parking lot for pallets of heavy items, rotate them every few days to avoid damaging your pavement.
• Do not ignore even small cracks in your pavement. It is not uncommon to find a hairline crack or two, but if you find anything larger, contact your paving contractor immediately.
• Do not allow grass or weeds to grow next to your new pavement. Plants have roots that can damage your new asphalt driveway, parking lot, walkway, or street. Apply a weed killer around the edges, or pull them up by the roots.
Alpha Paving Industries is a full-service paving company with an impeccable reputation. Our asphalt services include sealcoating, crack repairs, milling, resurfacing, paving, and patching, and our concrete services include repairs and the construction of concrete sidewalks, concrete ramps, concrete driveways, concrete curbs, and concrete parking lots. We also offer thermoplastic line striping, speed bump installation, and parking lot striping, signs, and car stops. We provide exceptional craftsmanship and unparalleled customer service. Contact us today to request a free quote. You can reach us at 512-677-9001, submit the online form, or email Info@AlphaPaving.com.
