There are many reasons why asphalt pavement may need to be prematurely replaced. To prevent this from happening to you, we recommend you read through our blog post so you can start taking advantage of asphalt maintenance services today. With the help of a licensed asphalt paving contractor, there’s no reason why your asphalt pavement shouldn’t last up to 20 years.

Improper Installation

It’s important you hire an asphalt contractor with the necessary experience to make your next paving project a success. Otherwise, you could end up with an asphalt driveway or parking lot that shows signs of distress within a year of installation. There are several mistakes an inexperienced asphalt contractor could make, such as not taking the time to properly compact the base soil, asphalt, and other paving materials. A contractor could also use the wrong proportions in asphalt mix.

Standing Water

Not only is standing water in parking lots a sign of pavement distress, but it also causes further damage. When water is allowed to puddle, it deteriorates the surface of your asphalt pavement. Eventually, the water will be able to seep through to the foundation to cause permanent structural damage. If you notice standing water in your parking lot, you’ll want to contact an asphalt paving company as soon as possible to inspect the damage.

Unrepaired Cracks and Potholes

Make sure you call an asphalt repair contractor as soon as you notice asphalt cracks and potholes. If neglected, cracks and potholes can grow and allow water to seep into the foundation to cause lasting structural damage. A parking lot riddled with asphalt potholes makes it difficult for customers to find a suitable space to park. Large potholes and cracks can also allow water to seep into the foundation, causing pavement failure.

Heavy Loads

All asphalt pavements are engineered to bear a certain range of weight. However, parking semi-trucks and other non-passenger vehicles in asphalt parking lots can quickly overwhelm this weight capacity. Having these vehicles parked in your lot causes more damage than if they just drove over the pavement. Storing construction supplies on your parking lot or driveway can also be too heavy a load for your pavement. Make sure you know how much weight your asphalt pavement can bear. Ultimately, it’s less expensive to prevent damage than it is to fix it.

How can I prevent pavement failure?

Below, we list the ways you can prevent having to prematurely replace asphalt pavement.

• Hire a qualified asphalt paving contractor for installation.
• Don’t ignore standing water.
• Repair cracks and potholes as they appear.
• Don’t allow non-passenger vehicles to drive or park on pavement.
• Don’t store heavy materials on pavement.

B&E Coating Services, LLC is a Reed City asphalt paving company dedicated to helping customers preserve the appearance and function of asphalt pavement. If you are interested in our asphalt paving, commercial sealcoating, or parking lot sweeping services, feel free to give us a call at 1 (800) SEAL-817.