Maximize the Lifespan of Your Asphalt with Asphalt Preventative Maintenance

If you have an asphalt road or parking lot, you want to keep it in good repair. Asphalt preventative maintenance is the best way to achieve this, and it should be part of your regular facility maintenance checklist, so you don’t forget. Investing in a new asphalt surface, whether it is a road or a parking lot, costs a significant amount of money. Protect your investment with regular asphalt preventative maintenance.

Maximize the Lifespan of Your Asphalt with Asphalt Preventative Maintenance

Here are the regular asphalt preventative maintenance steps you should take to keep your asphalt looking and performing its best for as long as possible:

  • Pothole repair: Potholes tend to appear in winter months, but they can happen any time of the year. They usually form along existing cracks when water seeps in and weakens the base under your road. A vehicle drives over the top and compresses the asphalt down into the weakened spot, breaking the asphalt into gravel and sand over time.
  • Asphalt crack filling: Crack filling is needed for cracks that are larger than a quarter inch wide. They must be cleared of debris prior to filling. Crack filling and pothole repair should occur annually and always before asphalt sealing.
  • Asphalt sealing: Asphalt should first be sealed 6-12 months after it is installed. Then, it should be resealed about every 2 years.

No matter how well you take care of your asphalt with preventative maintenance, it will eventually need to be resurfaced and even replaced entirely. The lifespan of your asphalt is also affected by how well it drains, the traffic load it experiences (especially of heavy vehicles like big trucks) and landscape issues like nearby root systems.