If you’re like most business owners, you’re always looking for ways to lower the cost of running your business by saving on expenses.
But how much thought have you given to maintaining your asphalt parking lot or driveway, the very thing your business relies on to bring customers to your front door?
Taking a proactive approach to maintenance works out a lot cheaper than replacing it prematurely.
In this blog post, we will discuss the difference between asphalt that has not failed (that we can and should crack seal), versus pavement that’s already having structural damage (in which crack sealing may not be the best solution).
We’ll also talk about when you should not crack seal, according to the Asphalt Institute.
A brief history on Asphalt
It’s true that we don’t really give the asphalt in our parking area a second thought. Until something goes wrong with it, of course. But when you do slow down and give it some consideration, it’s surprising how much you can learn about asphalt.
Take its history, for example.
Despite its connection with modern life, asphalt is actually an ancient, naturally occurring material with a long history. In fact, our founder, Joe Swanekamp, shares history with that word…. both having Greek origins!
The English term “asphalt” derives from the Greek term “asphaltos,” which gets translated as “secure.”
Today, there are more than 55 million miles of asphalt on American roads alone, and how it all gets made is truly fascinating (if you care to learn more about it!). Not to mention the fact that 80 million tons of asphalt get recycled each year to maintain the current state of our roads and create new ones.
Even though we like to think of asphalt as quintessentially modern, it was the ancient Sumerians who first began using the stuff around 5000 years ago after discovering its amazing properties in its naturally occurring state in asphalt pits.
Exciting stuff, right? We certainly think so! And you’ll see why throughout this article!
But first…
Asphalt cracking: is it normal?
Cracking is the most common wear and tear that happens to asphalt pavements. For this reason, the Asphalt Institute recommends that crack sealing be the top priority when it comes to your asphalt maintenance routine.
Keeping your pavement cracks sealed is key to preventing water from intruding, which can accelerate pavement deterioration, resulting in dreaded potholes!
Potholes are not only inconvenient, expensive to repair and potentially dangerous; They are an unsightly message telling customers that the business might not care about its appearance or its customers’ experience. Not great for business!
Potholes are not good for business
The reality is that cracking is common and unavoidable. Fortunately, potholes are entirely preventable with proper maintenance services such as crack sealing and correcting failing pavement before it gets to the point of becoming a pothole.
Now that you’ve discovered how simple it is to prevent potholes, it’s time to get serious about asphalt maintenance!
Asphalt Maintenance is good for business
We learned earlier that the word “asphalt” literally means “secure”. So it’s only fitting that investing in proper asphalt maintenance will help secure your business (and asphalt) for many years to come. This manifests in a few ways.
1) It protects your initial investment
Asphalt itself is a big investment. Paving an asphalt parking lot costs between $3 – $7 per square foot, and this price doesn’t include things like striping, marking, curbing, or the cost of permits. At the end of the day, paving a 10-car asphalt parking lot can cost anywhere up to $20,000! So it’s little wonder why protecting that investment should be a top priority!
This can be problematic and cost your business to lose money it could have otherwise invested or profited.
2) Prevents minor maintenance from turning into costly repairs
The reality is that taking a proactive approach to your asphalt maintenance will save you a lot of stress, wasted time and money in the long run.
Asphalt that’s regularly maintained can last up to 20 years, while asphalt that’s neglected can start to show signs of wear and tear after just a few years. If left unchecked, small cracks can quickly turn into big ones.
We like to quote the great Matthew McConaughey here who offers up this powerful advice: “don’t leave crumbs“!
If you leave “crumbs” today they will cause you more stress tomorrow.
In other words, if you neglect thinking about asphalt maintenance and let your pavement fall into disrepair, your business will ultimately suffer in one way or another.
Routine maintenance is key to prolonging the life of your asphalt and securing its role in protecting your investment (your entire business) for many years to come.
In fact, a properly installed and maintained parking lot can last for up to 30 years! Just as it’s worth taking the time to do research and find a company that you can trust for the installation, it’s equally important that your maintenance company be well qualified to continue the work on your investment.
Now, let’s talk about the most common maintenance performed on asphalt: crack sealing.
Crack Sealing: Asphalt Maintenance MVP
By regularly inspecting and taking care of asphalt cracking, you can avoid more costly repairs or even having to replace your asphalt area entirely.
Crack sealing works in two steps:
1) Cracks a quarter inch to an inch & a half in width can be filled & sealed by applying hot-pour sealants and
2) Cracks a quarter inch or smaller are filled & sealed by seal coat application. This two step-process prevents water and other materials from leaking into the cracks and making them much worse.
All hot-pour sealants contain an asphalt cement base which sealant manufacturers enhance with rubber and other additives.
This process effectively secures and seals and the asphalt cracks, preventing water and other debris from getting into them and causing further damage.
The next logical question would be…
To crack seal or not to crack seal?
Once again, we go back to the Greek translation of the word “asphaltos”: “secure”.
In determining which option is best, we must look at how secure the asphalt is at the structural level, and then we can determine whether crack sealing or repairing the asphalt would be the best solution to properly secure it.
Asphalt maintenance: when to crack seal
If the structural integrity of the asphalt is still intact and if the cracks are only a quarter of an inch or less, then it is likely that crack sealing is a good option to secure that area of cracking asphalt.
Asphalt maintenance: when NOT to crack seal
If you can see daylight through the cracks, or if the cracks are wider than an inch & a half, then your asphalt likely needs to be repaired. If that’s the case, it’s also likely that it could have base failures, severe rutting or fatigue (alligator cracking) due to water corrosion to the base.
Needless to say, crack sealing is not an option at this point because it would do nothing or little to secure your asphalt parking area.
Take care of your asphalt, and it will take care of your business
By understanding when to crack seal versus when not to, you can avoid having to replace your pavement entirely and keep the costs of running your business down for many years to come.
Proper asphalt maintenance will not only help you extend the life of your asphalt, you will also be maintaining a safe and attractive parking area for your customers.
Regular inspections, asphalt maintenance, and crack sealing will help you avoid more costly repairs down the road and keep your business looking its best. So don’t wait.
Get on top of your asphalt maintenance today!
We get it. You have better things to do than inspect your parking area or train others how to perform a thorough inspection.
The team at Swan Co. has many years of experience in asphalt maintenance. In fact, we are the go-to pavement specialists in the Tri-state area.
Not only will we help you with all your crack sealing and asphalt maintenance needs, but we also specialize in line striping, sidewalk and curb repair, as well as repairing potholes if things have gotten a little out of hand!
Contact us today and ask about our Site Assessment Plan. It’s the gold standard for property site inspections/assessments that we put together for a thorough and systematic approach that covers all of the bases.
We look forward to hearing from you!
