The Cost of Delaying Asphalt Maintenance- Whether the object under discussion is an air conditioning system, a car or an asphalt pavement, proper maintenance is an essential part of ensuring a long life. Furthermore, like all auto mechanics, HVAC technicians and asphalt contractors know, routine maintenance can save you a substantial amount of money. For example, if you do not spend a few dollars to change the oil in your car periodically, you could be facing a bill of more than $5,000 to repair or replace your engine. If you do not clean or replace the filters on your air conditioning system, you could pay as much as $2,000 in increased energy bills over the years, and should the system fail due to neglect, replacement costs can sometimes exceed $7,000. Naturally, you will need to replace your car or your air conditioning system at some point, but without proper maintenance, you could be paying for a replacement much sooner than you expect. The same is valid for asphalt paving.
The Cost of Delaying Asphalt Maintenance
How Much Will Timely Asphalt Repair and Maintenance Save?
Many experienced paving companies estimate that when you invest $1 in maintenance at the proper time, you will save at least $4 in future expenses. One Canadian study revealed that every dollar spent on maintenance saved as much as $10 in the future. The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association published a case study on a small parking lot that needed preventive maintenance and repairs that would cost between $3,700 and $5,500. The property owner delayed the work, and five years later, he had to spend $35,500 to reconstruct the lot.
Other studies conducted by transportation agencies, paving companies, and university researchers have shown that if an asphalt pavement receives no maintenance, it can deteriorate to fair condition by the end of its seventh year. By the time the pavement is 10 years old, it will likely be near failure. At that point, restoring the pavement to fair condition will cost three to four times what proper maintenance would have required.
What Is the Life of Asphalt Pavement Given Proper Maintenance?
Before answering that question, it might be helpful to define what constitutes proper maintenance. The traffic supported by your pavement will determine your exact maintenance needs, but most paving contractors recommend the following procedures.
• Every six months: Conduct a visual inspection of the pavement.
• Annually: Fill or seal any cracks that have developed.
• Every two to five years: Apply fresh sealcoating.
• Every five years: Repair any areas that show signs of structural failure.
• Every 10 to 15 years: Apply a corrective overlay or resurface the pavement.
Many pavements receiving maintenance according to a similar schedule have been in place for more than 50 years. If they continue to receive proper maintenance, they could potentially last for another 50 years before requiring reconstruction.
Can Alpha Paving Help Me Salvage My Pavement?
Alpha Paving is one of the most highly respected paving contractors in Austin and Central Texas. We offer asphalt paving and overlays, asphalt repair, road construction, parking lot markings, street maintenance, and asphalt milling. We also provide a full range of asphalt maintenance services, including asphalt sealcoating, crack sealing, car stop installation, parking lot signs and speed bumps. Also, we offer concrete installation, maintenance, and repair. Our clients include municipalities, subdivisions, counties, apartment complexes, office parks, retail chains, shopping centers, restaurants, healthcare facilities, airports, manufacturing facilities, religious institutions, hotels, and educational institutions. We have earned praise from our customers as well as other paving contractors for the exceptional quality of our work, our integrity, and our professionalism. You can submit the online form or call 512-677-9001 to request a free quote.
