When winter arrives, dealing with a scenario involving winter asphalt can be a challenging and time-consuming endeavor. Asphalt can, however, be kept looking as good as new for much longer if it is cared for in the appropriate manner and attentively, either by the owner themselves or by an asphalt specialist. This prevents the normal severe deterioration that occurs over the winter months. In the winter months, if asphalt is not properly maintained, it will lead to faster cracking and pothole formation, which means that it will be necessary to repair the asphalt more frequently. You will be relieved to know that there are a variety of low-cost strategies available to you during the winter months to extend the longevity of your asphalt.
If you want to ensure that your asphalt will last as long as possible, you should sealcoat it before winter arrives. Seal coating extends the lifespan of asphalt pavement by shielding it from water and other potentially damaging substances. This permits asphalt pavement to be used for longer. Without a sealcoat, your asphalt might become brittle and cracked due to oxidation. In addition to this, the top layer of the asphalt will crack, and the asphalt as a whole will become more brittle. Sealcoating provides advantages to all asphalt pavements in the winter when it is done correctly, and it is a more cost-effective solution than repairing the damage that can be caused by failing to seal coat. If you don’t seal coat your asphalt, you could end up having to completely replace it or restore a significant amount of it.
Seal the Cracks
You can avoid the freeze-thaw phenomenon from happening if you repair any fractures in the surface of the water before it has a chance to freeze. Because of negligent asphalt maintenance, this issue develops when water is able to penetrate into smaller fractures in the asphalt. During the winter, if temperatures are cold enough, the water will freeze, and as the ice grows, it will cause any cracks that were already present to become considerably larger. Because water expands by around 9 percent when it freezes, this issue will present itself numerous times throughout the course of a single winter. A single hairline fracture might easily become two by the time the winter is over. If immediate attention is not paid to the crack, it may spread exponentially over the course of the years, rapidly increasing the amount of money that will be required for repairs.
De-ice
Deicers such as road salt do an excellent job of removing snow during the winter when it comes to the maintenance of asphalt roads. Unfortunately, chemical deicers can cause asphalt to deteriorate rapidly if it already contains fractures or other signs of fragility. You are free to continue using road salt even if the winter season is still ongoing if you plan on repaving your parking lot once it has been removed from service for the season.
Be Quick
The most important thing you can do to stop the deterioration of your asphalt throughout the winter is to catch any problems with your pavement as soon as possible. Prior to the onset of the freezing months, do a thorough search for the presence of even the tiniest fissures, and then make it a point to fill and caulk all of them as soon as possible, well before the freeze-thaw cycle may take effect. In addition to this, you need to keep an eye out for inclement weather and work quickly to clear away any snow and ice that may have accumulated.
If you follow these procedures throughout the course of the winter, your asphalt will look far better come April. After the winter is over, any asphalt pavement will have fewer cracks, a nicer seal coat, and no potholes, resulting in an improved appearance that will also endure significantly longer. Taking excellent care of asphalt may save you a significant amount of money on its maintenance costs. You can do this by either putting in the effort yourself or by employing a trained professional, such as ourselves, to put in the effort on your behalf.
