Acquiring a new asphalt driveway is an investment that will serve you for many years to come. However, you may not enjoy full asphalt benefits if you don’t take good care of the surfaces from the first day of installation. It only takes some simple care precautions to achieve optimal asphalt pavement performance in your home.
Maintaining your pavement in good shape keeps your home functional and appealing for everyone. Below, we’ll look at a few practical tips you should consider for taking good care of your residential asphalt surfaces for durable performance.
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Apply a Seal Coat
Sealcoating is one of the most effective ways of protecting your asphalt surface from the elements. An effective sealcoat is often applied 90 days after the installation of your asphalt surface. This is often enough time for the asphalt to cure and dry properly before it’s covered. However, you can still apply a seal coat anytime within the first year of asphalt installation and not anytime longer than that.
Premature application of a seal coat can cause the surface to lock in foreign oils and solvents, making it perform less efficiently than it should when applied after 90 days. When applied at the right time, a seal coat can protect your pavement from the sun’s harmful UV rays and minimize oxidation. The sealer also offers a protective layer that keeps off road salt, grease, oil, and gas.
Driveway or parking lot sealcoating cures fully after about three weeks and sealcoated surfaces can be prone to scuffling during the curing period. Scuffling is also common in temperatures above 80 degrees, so it’s best to apply a seal coat in cooler temperatures.
Clean Regularly
Dirt, debris, and oil seals are among the leading causes of deterioration in asphalt surfaces. However, these can be minimized or avoided with a simple and consistent cleaning schedule. Regular sweeping can help remove surface dirt and debris like leaves, dust, and tree branches that may harm your asphalt surfaces. You can use a degreaser to remove grease and oil stains or spills. A clean asphalt surface ensures the binder is safe from breaking down, so you can enjoy durable performances.
Drive Carefully
Your new asphalt still needs some time to cure properly to endure some car actions when driving. In the first few weeks of curing, you may want to go slow on stunts and full-packed action on your driveway. Avoid actions like driving too fast, pulling in too quickly, and turning around in tight areas.
When your car is stationary, avoid turning the steering wheel as this can cause some damage on the surface, especially in the first few weeks. You should especially check your driving discipline during the hotter summer months when your asphalt surfaces are more vulnerable.
Get Regular Inspections
One of the most crucial asphalt surface maintenance tips is to get regular inspections. This is a proactive way to remain on top of your driveway’s condition regardless of whatever problem it sustains. It helps you pick up any issues early before they evolve to something bigger and also solve them with the best possible solutions on time.
For instance, an inspection can pick up an issue with water pooling, which you may not have noticed yourself. The inspecting company can then proceed to analyze the root cause for the water pooling and advise accordingly on the most relevant solutions. You can always schedule annual inspections for your residential asphalt driveways.
Once you’ve installed your asphalt pavement, you must ensure it’s well taken care of throughout the year to enhance its performance in all the seasons. By implementing the above tips, you can maintain your pavement and driveways in their best shape for effective all-year-round performance.
