Parking Lot Maintenance Tips - Hicks Asphalt, Paving, and Concrete

Most people do not give parking lots a second thought – and why should they? Parking lots serve a purpose. They allow people to park their cars while they go on with their daily activities. Whether it is a commercial parking lot at a strip mall or a large residential parking lot for an apartment complex, most people will carry on with their day without giving the parking lot a second thought. Unless, of course, the parking lot is full of potholes or cracks. Then it will give off the impression that the place is rather unsafe and people might think twice before shopping or moving there. In this article, we give some parking lot maintenance tips to keep lots beautiful and safe.

Potholes

Potholes are the biggest indicator that a parking lot is not well maintained and perhaps also dangerous. They happen when water permeates through the pavement and does not drain. This causes cracking, which can eventually lead to potholes forming if ignored. Potholes cause major damage to vehicles the drive over them or people who trip over them. However, they also conjure up an image of a dangerous environment.

To avoid potholes from occurring, the property manager should engage in asphalt patching. Asphalt patching is where a person patches specific problem areas of a lot instead of the whole lot. This is a cost-effective remedy in keeping the overall look of the parking lot safe and inviting.

Cracks

After potholes, cracks are the next biggest cause for making parking lots look uninviting. If homeowners do nothing to fix the cracking, those cracks may eventually lead to becoming potholes. It is best to take a proactive stance against cracks and seal them regularly. This will also lengthen the useful life of the parking lot asphalt.

Pavement Replacement

There are times due to factors beyond a person’s control that the pavement has deteriorated so badly that there is nothing homeowners can resort to other than pavement replacement. The damage to the pavement can come from extreme temperatures, poor drainage, or traffic load, to name a few. While some of these may be addressed through smart landscaping and better drainage systems installed, other issues are part of doing business and having a parking lot. Therefore, when considering pavement replacement, make sure the company you hires addresses all the possible factors that can be leading to pavement deterioration.

Sealcoating

The best proactive measure any property manager can take to extend the length of service of any parking lot is through seal coating. Sealcoating is a protection that goes on top of asphalt that can protect it from outside damage from rain or heat. Ideally, sealcoating will be done between 6 months to one year after the installation of a parking lot. To maintain the longevity of the parking lot, a property manager should budget for sealcoating every two years as part of the regular maintenance and upkeep of the property.