Your parking lot is an investment in your business. Not only does a well-maintained parking lot give a positive first impression, it is also safer for your customers, employees, and vendors. Further, keeping the lot maintained can save money by helping to prevent costly parking lot repair or replacement later. The following are a few tips to help keep your lot in top shape.
Tip #1: Schedule regular deep cleans
Automotive fluids, in particular, can slowly eat away at asphalt surfaces. Parking lots, naturally, tend to collect a lot of these fluids. Gum, garbage, spilled food items, and plain old dirt can also ruin both the appearance and durability of your parking lot surface. A parking lot cleaning service can solve all of these issues. These services use steam and pressure to remove the dirt and residues that soak into the asphalt, resulting in a clean surface. How often you clean depends on the amount of traffic in your lot. A highly trafficked lot should be cleaned professionally once a month. For lower traffic lots or if your lot doesn't tend to get soiled quickly, you may only need to have it deep cleaned quarterly or bi-annually. Between professional cleanings, have a staff member assigned to sweep the lot and remove garbage on a daily basis.
Tip #2: Keep on top of seal coating
Seal coating is a miracle treatment for asphalt paving. Asphalt is naturally porous, which means it absorbs both moisture and dirt. A seal coat creates a barrier, which protects the asphalt and makes it easier to clean. Seal coating involves spreading a thin protective layer over the asphalt. If your lot is faded, heavily patched, or stained, the seal coat can be combined with an asphalt overlay. This is a thin layer of asphalt that is applied with the seal coat to provide a more even surface and to cover patches and stains. How often you need to seal coat depends on climate and traffic, but once a year is average. Generally, if water soaks into the asphalt instead of beading on top, it's time to consider a fresh seal coat.
Tip #3: Repair issues promptly
Even with proper care, cracks, divots, or potholes can still occur. These are especially common in spring and winter. If you act promptly and have the damaged filled and patched, you won't have to pay for more involved repairs. Opt for hot asphalt patching over cold. With hot patches, the asphalt surrounding the damage is heated up so it is malleable. Then, a hot asphalt patch is poured in. The patch is able to combine with the existing asphalt for a sturdy repair. Cold patching involves placing the patch onto cold asphalt. Since they aren't both heated, they won't mix together and the patch can eventually pull away and crumble.
For more help, contact a parking lot maintenance company.
