While the pavement is not the first thing on property owners’ minds, its condition speaks volumes to a visitor. Believe it or not, a passerby or a potential customer might actually turn away from your property if your pavement is worn out and riddled with cracks and potholes.

Given the significance of first impressions and enhanced curb appeal, many property owners go the extra mile in taking care of their pavement or parking lot. They follow maintenance routines diligently to safeguard their investment and to extend their pavement’s lifespan.

You too can ensure that your pavement stands the test of time by implementing the following maintenance tips.

Cleaning

Your pavement goes through a lot of wear and tear during the year. The harmful weather conditions and the moving vehicles give a severe beating to your investment. Taking the time out once every couple of weeks to inspect damages and clean the surface ensures that your pavement remains healthy, and you can identify all potential pain points beforehand.

Crack Sealing

Crack formation is imminent in pavements. Crack sealing procedures prevent cracks from wreaking havoc on your property and damaging the base. They also prevent severe problems in the future that can lead to costly repairs which break your bank. You should opt for crack sealing even if there are microscopic cracks on the surface.

Sealcoating

The traffic, rain, and sun can all take the shine off your pavement. Eventually, your pavement starts giving off a morbid look and displays cracks that expose the foundation to harmful elements. Sealcoating enhances your curb appeal and prevents harmful components from seeping inside the surface. Sealcoating the surface once every two years is a great way to prevent the pavement from turning grey.

Remove Snow

Efficient snow removal is critical to the chances of your pavement’s survival in the long run. Snow accumulation contributes to hazardous driving conditions on a parking lot, while poor snow removal techniques damage the surface. Allowing the snow to pile up also exposes vulnerable areas of the pavement as the snow can melt inside the cracks and erode the base.

Standing Water

Pools of water are the worst enemies of a pavement. They lead to indents and depressions on different areas of the surface, which, if left untreated, transform into cracks and potholes. Standing water also penetrates the surface to contribute to excessive damages.

Hire a Professional

Some things are better left to the professionals, and pavement maintenance and repair is one of them. A professional contracting company knows its stuff and has a solution to all the pavement problems you face. They also offer regular pavement maintenance services that help in extending the lifespan of your pavement.

Affordable Sealing and Striping Inc. is the premier pavement maintenance company in Fort Collins, CO. We utilize our years of experience in the industry to provide our customers with the ideal pavement maintenance and repair service. Get a free estimate on our services now.

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Asphalt striping is a technique used to maintain asphalt parking lots. If you are new to pavement maintenance, there are a few common mistakes that you should avoid.

Affordable Sealing and Striping, Inc. has compiled a list of the five most occurring mistakes and their respective solutions to help save your precious time and expenses while working on your pavement in Fort Collins, CO.

1) Not using Hot Rubber Mix (HRM).

Solution: You should use HRM at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit to coat the surface. You must also clean the application area to remove any loose material before applying your asphalt layer on it. If the weather is cold, apply more aggregate in the mix and increase its temperature or wait until the outside temps are warmer or use warmers for your equipment.

2) Not applying an appropriate base to paint asphalt surface.

Oil-based paint loses its color as it blends with the tar on the freshly laid pavement, whereas water-based paint won’t stick for long over the surface.

Solution: You should reduce water use and apply the second coat of paint after 30 days of the first layer. You must include the cost of the second coat of paint in your budget plan.

3) Not checking State regulations before striping. 

Solution: You should stripe the pavement following the regulations of the State Department and must adhere to the compliance requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This act provides guidelines for crossways, parking lots, ramps to make these spaces as accessible as possible. You should also designate a fire lane while striping your pavement for emergencies. Fire codes include distinct markings like curb stickers and appropriate signs.

4) Not selecting the correct line striper.

You will find a variety of line stripers in the market, including simple machines holding inverted containers of aerosol paint and large machines equipped with dual guns, trailer seats, and even cup holders.

Solution: If you are striping a small area, then you can choose the aerosol striper. If you require line striping on a large pavement area frequently, you should use a high-pressure machine that can be attached to a big pail of paint. Using a machine with two guns will be more cost-effective in the long term when you usually use stencils to stripe curved lines or curbs.

5) Not doing seal coating for preserving your asphalt surfaces.

Solution: You should apply a coating of an extra layer to protect the surface against harmful intrusions. Moreover, if you use the manufacturers’ recommended asphalt sealant in your coating, it will also extend the lifespan of your pavement.

The Gist

Follow the above techniques of asphalt striping to avoid the most frequent mistakes in maintaining your pavement. And if you are looking for a hassle-free cost-effective solution to keep your pavement at par, then check out Affordable Sealing and Striping, Inc. to Get your free estimate now from our team of experts.

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