Curb appeal is one significant factor in your customer’s decision to patronize your business. However, if the curb itself does not feel welcoming underfoot and under tire, those same customers may decide to cut their losses and leave. A deteriorated parking lot poses a safety risk to your visitors, suppliers, and employees. Parking lot maintenance is therefore crucial to the operation and success of your business. Don’t put off the investment in your asphalt until these common signs of deterioration start to cause severe problems.
Cracks
Cracks in your parking lot pavement are one of the first signs of damage. Cracks develop slowly over time due to erosion, the sun’s UV rays, and micro-movements in the ground. To make matters worse, water can seep into the cracks and freeze overnight during the colder months. The expanding ice further disrupts the asphalt all around the crack and weakens the sublayer.
Thankfully, cracks are inexpensive and straightforward to repair when caught early on. Small cracks are patched with a concrete filling or rubberized sealant. However, small cracks left untreated will inevitably turn into larger ones that aren’t so easily remedied, requiring an entire resurfacing job. Consequently, it is crucial to keep an eye on your parking lot and make sure to repair those small cracks before they are allowed to worsen or turn into potholes.
Potholes
Have you ever worried about your car’s tires and suspension while driving down a road littered with potholes? If so, then you know that potholes are the most easily recognizable issue in a road, as well as one of the most anxiety-inducing. You certainly don’t want that feeling to set the tone for your visitors as they come and go from your business. Not only do potholes leave behind a sour taste, but they can also be dangerous. Potholes can damage cars and make passersby trip and fall — a liability suit just waiting to happen.
As water freezes and melts cyclically, the ground expands and contracts with it, causing a weakness in certain spots. These weak spots may develop cracks or break down further through water and traffic erosion until they inevitably become potholes. To prevent this from happening, perform a maintenance check-up on your parking lot after every winter and repair any weak spots with hot mix asphalt.
Oil Stains
Parking lots are constantly exposed to chemicals like gas, oil and deicer. These harsh chemicals react with asphalt to disjoin its components, weakening and loosening the parking lot surface in those areas. Unbound asphalt will then lead to cracks and potholes if left alone. When you start to see oil stains on your parking lot, it’s time to book a power washing service. You can also treat the asphalt with a sealant to reduce the effects of oil exposure.
Water Leakage & Ponding
By now, you may have realized that water is one of the leading causes of parking lot damage. Water causes cracks, worsens potholes, and spreads chemicals across the surface. Water can also create dangerous conditions for cars and pedestrians, especially during the winter’s freezing temperatures.
Of course, there’s no way to prevent water from touching your parking lot. However, there are ways to redirect it. The first sign to look out for is puddles of water. Ponded water only collects in divots or areas lower than the surrounding surface. Left to its own devices, sitting water will eventually leak through the asphalt and deteriorate the base layer. Before this happens, make sure to get these sunken areas leveled out so that the water spreads evenly across the parking lot and moves toward the edges and drains. That being said, your drainage systems should get regular check-ups to make sure they are not clogged or otherwise preventing water from flowing away.
Oxidation
Just as iron rusts over time, oxidation is another un-preventable reality of parking lot maintenance. Oxidation is a molecular process in which oxygen molecules cause the asphalt to lose electrons, rendering it more brittle and prone to erosion. Many factors contribute to oxidation, such as temperature, UV rays, and oxygen saturation in the air. Oxidized asphalt looks faded and grey. While looks aren’t what’s important, this coloration is an indicator of worn-out surfacing and subgrade.
Cracks, potholes, weakened asphalt, and ponded water each create a unique safety threat to your commercial property. Plus, their unsightly presence is off-putting to visitors both new and returning. On top of all this, parking lot resurfacing is more expensive and time-consuming than simple repairs. For these reasons, regular parking lot maintenance is not something to overlook or neglect but a chance to keep your community safe and your business operations flowing.
