Blog Story

Winter is fast approaching, and as you are already aware, this season can be very hard on the asphalt. Have you thought about the ways you can protect your asphalt from the upcoming harsh weather? Here are a few tips to ensure your parking lot or driveway will be ready for Spring.

 

These tips include repairing all the cracks, covering the driveway with sealants, patching holes, estimating the traffic, and clearing debris off the driveway. To learn more about protecting your driveways and parking lots during the winter, read on.

Repair All Asphalt Cracking

If you have any cracks in your driveway that have not already been repaired, then do so before the first snow hits. Snow and ice get in these cracks can make the problem worse.  This is especially true if the snow melts then refreezes in the cracks. It will make the cracks worse and can ultimately destroy the asphalt completely. If this happens, you’ll have to replace the entire driveway or parking lot section, which can result in a big expense.

Protect Driveways and Parking Lots with Sealants

You should have a sealant applied to your driveway or parking lot area. This sealant will protect the asphalt from snow, ice, water, dirt, and debris.
 

Patch Holes

Just as repaired any cracks before winter, you should also patch any holes in the asphalt. If you don’t, they will most likely only get worse by the time Spring rolls around. The weight of the snow and or ice on your asphalt driveway or parking lot can cause the holes to become worse to the point where they go completely through the asphalt. If this happens, you will likely have to replace your asphalt entirely or get commercial asphalt resurfacing.
 

Estimate Increased Traffic

Most of the damage caused to your asphalt driveway or parking lot is from the wear and tear of everyday use. If you expect a heavy influx of traffic, you can prepare for this by applying heavy-duty sealants and patching holes, and repairing cracks thoroughly with the highest quality materials. If you do this, there is a lesser chance that your driveway will sustain serious damage if traffic does actually increase during the winter. Of course, this will help extend the life of your driveway or parking lot much longer than the Winter season.
 

Clear Debris From Asphalt Areas 
 

Clearing debris off of your driveway or parking lot before the cold weather hits are one of the most overlooked aspects of preparing your asphalt for the winter. It is important to clear the debris off for many reasons. First of all, the debris can become frozen to the driveway when it gets cold, which will make it next to impossible to remove. This could result in permanent damage to the driveway if the debris contains chemicals that can eat through asphalt. You should also make sure to clear debris during the winter by shoveling it off your driveway on a regular basis.

 

With Total Asphalt Paving Inc. located in Washington Township, it’s easy to request a quote for asphalt paving services!  If you have any questions about getting your asphalt prepared for the winter season or are interested in a free paving estimate, please contact us today at 586-752-9060!  You can also reach out to us on our contact form