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An asphalt pavement maintenance plan is a coordinated program of paving services that work together to help your pavement attain its maximum life in the most cost-effective manner. Whether you are responsible for a single parking lot or all pavements at numerous locations, a well-designed, professionally executed plan can provide you with a variety of benefits.

Why You Need an Asphalt Pavement Management Plan

What Are the Benefits of a Professional Pavement Management Program?

The primary benefit is that your pavement can have a much longer life, maximizing your return on the money you invested in its installation. A neglected pavement can have its useful life reduced by half or more. While an asphalt pavement that receives proper maintenance throughout its life can serve you for two or three decades, a neglected pavement can fail completely in less than 10 years. However, there are other benefits you can gain from a pavement maintenance plan.

1. It can make it easier for you to budget for your parking lot maintenance over multiple years. Your plan will specify how often you should have your contractor apply sealcoating, for example, or when you will likely need an asphalt overlay.
2. With a professional contractor assisting you, you do not need to worry about missing an essential service. You will have access to a schedule that shows when you should have crackfilling and other repairs performed.
3. Your plan can be tailored specifically for your pavement. The current age and condition of your pavement, your plans, and your budget can all be considered. When working with your contractor, you may discover innovative technologies or products about which you are unfamiliar, including infrared asphalt restoration or special additives for asphalt sealcoating Richmond pavements.
4. Professional preventive maintenance can make your pavement safer. Eliminating hazards that could trip pedestrians or unseat cyclists, maintaining an orderly flow of traffic, and reducing or eliminating congestion, confusion, and obstructions can all enhance safety.

What Does an Asphalt Management Plan Include?

As each pavement can have different issues, your plan may vary. However, most asphalt management plans include all or most of the following.

1. Your contractor will inspect and evaluate your pavement. Areas that are subjected to high levels of stress, damage patterns, drainage issues, and traffic flow will be identified and analyzed. Parking lots will also be checked for visible stripes and legally required pavement markings. Inspections should be conducted at least once every year.
2. After assessing your pavement, your contractor will recommend the procedures that are needed and their frequency. Your contractor will help you establish your priorities. For example, if your pavement has a large pothole in a high-traffic lane, that repair will normally need to be prioritized over several small cracks in a seldom-used area of your parking lot.
3. Although your schedule may vary, most contractors in the Richmond area recommend crackfilling every year, sealcoat applications every two years, and installing an overlay about every 12 years.

If you are interested in getting the most value for the money you spend on your asphalt pavement, contact US Asphalt Maintenance. We have over 35 years of industry experience, an impeccable reputation, and the skills and equipment to deliver high-quality work at reasonable prices. Our services include asphalt sealcoating, crack repairs, parking lot striping and pavement markings, and pavement maintenance programs. You can call us at 804-625-7325 or complete our online form to request a free quote.

Whether you work for a property management firm or own the business, the condition of your parking lot can either attract or repel customers or tenants. People want to feel safe while they are on your property, and they also want to feel confident that their vehicles will not be damaged. Making your parking lot safer can benefit your visitors, but it can benefit you as well. By reducing the number of accidents, you could reduce your potential liabilities. Fortunately, it does not need to be time-consuming or expensive to enhance your parking lot safety.

How Can I Make My Asphalt Parking Lot Safe?

What Are the First Steps for Improving Parking Lot Safety?

A safe parking lot begins with a proactive parking lot maintenance program administered by a reputable professional. Proper maintenance prolongs the life of asphalt paving, but it also makes the area safer. Potholes, large cracks, and poor traction can cause pedestrians to fall, inflict damage on vehicles, or cause drivers to lose control of their cars. There are four things that an effective asphalt maintenance plan should include.

1. The parking lot should be thoroughly inspected at least once every year. The purpose of the inspection is to identify any areas of damage, signs of poor drainage, or violations of local codes or federal laws. During the inspection, your contractor may recommend changes to your layout to alleviate areas of heavy congestion or eliminate blind spots or points of conflict that could contribute to an accident.
2. Parking lot repair should be performed as soon as possible once defects appear. Ideally, you should have your contractor repair cracks and potholes every six months if your pavement is more than a few years old or has previously been neglected. Breaks in your pavement are safety hazards, and they will only get worse. As they worsen, cracks and potholes will also endanger the life of your pavement.
3. Asphalt sealcoating is an economical way to help prevent cracks from forming in your pavement. Sealcoating protects asphalt paving from damages inflicted by the sun and automotive fluids, but it also enhances traction. Furthermore, it restores the pavement’s color and makes markings and stripes more visible. Most parking lots in the Richmond area need fresh sealcoating applied about every two years.
4. Your parking lot striping and markings should guide drivers and pedestrians throughout your lot. Well-defined spaces encourage drivers to park properly, and pavement markings help drivers and pedestrians navigate your parking lot safely. Other pavement or curb markings can identify no-parking areas, including fire lanes and loading zones, crosswalks, one-way and two-way traffic aisles, and spaces designated for accessible parking.

What Are Some Upgrades to Consider for Making a Parking Lot Safer?

If your budget allows, there are some upgrades that you might want to consider to enhance the safety of your parking lot.

1. Speed bumps can help enforce the speed limits in your parking lot by discouraging drivers from racing through your lot.
2. Properly installed lighting can help eliminate shadows and dark areas that can encourage criminal activity.
3. Surveillance cameras can deter criminals, but the recordings they provide can be invaluable if there is ever a question of fault in an accident or you need to defend yourself in a lawsuit.
4. Elevated islands placed at the ends of the parking lanes can prevent drivers from parking there and obstructing the vision of pedestrians and drivers.

For the high-quality maintenance services for asphalt paving Richmond businesses need, contact the experts at US Asphalt Maintenance. We have been serving clients in the region for more than 35 years and have built an exemplary reputation for workmanship and customer service. Our services include sealcoating, crack repair, and parking lot striping and marking. We can tailor a pavement management program to make it easier for you to ensure that no parking lot maintenance task is ever overlooked. You can use our online form or call 804-625-7325 to request a free quote.

Like many other tasks, asphalt sealcoating Richmond pavements requires a certain level of knowledge if the job is to be completed successfully. Contractors must know which sealant formula is the most suitable for the specific job, how to prepare the mix correctly, and which pieces of equipment will be needed for the application. Furthermore, contractors must know when the weather will allow a successful sealcoating application as well as when the job should be postponed until the weather improves.

What Is the Best Weather for Sealcoating in Richmond?

Is There a Particular Month That Is Ideal for Asphalt Sealcoating Richmond Pavements?

There are some locations in which the weather can offer ideal conditions for asphalt sealcoating for several consecutive weeks or even months. However, Richmond is not one of those locations. Asphalt sealcoating companies define ideal conditions as shown below.

1. The temperature is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit at the start of the job and continues to increase throughout the day.
2. The relative humidity will not exceed 50% throughout the application and curing process.
3. A light wind should be present, but wind speeds should not exceed 10 mph during the application and the early drying stages.
4. Depending on the other factors, the asphalt sealcoating should receive between two and four hours of direct sunlight immediately following the application.
5. There should be no rain in the weather forecast for a minimum of 24 hours after the application. If it rains the night before work is scheduled, the job may need to be postponed.

Therefore, an ideal day would be bright and sunny with a temperature of at least 70 degrees and rising, low humidity, a slight breeze, and not a cloud in sight. Local asphalt sealcoating companies know that all of these ideal conditions will rarely be present on the same day in the Richmond area. Instead, they look for days on which all conditions combine to make sealcoating feasible.

1. Asphalt sealcoating can be successfully applied at temperatures as low as 50 degrees. However, the temperature cannot fall below 50 degrees throughout the application and for the next 24 hours. If it does, the sealant will cure very slowly or fail to cure at all. In addition, the lower the temperature, the more important it is that the other conditions are within tolerances.
2. Few contractors who offer sealcoating as one of their paving services will apply a sealant if the relative humidity exceeds 90%. Furthermore, if the humidity is above 75%, it may be necessary to incorporate an additive in the sealant mix. By volume, sealcoating contains a great deal of water that must be evaporated for curing to occur. In humid conditions, the water in the mix can find its escape route blocked by air that is already saturated with moisture. Since the rate of evaporation is tied to the temperature, a combination of excessive humidity and a temperature below 55 degrees may make sealcoating impossible.
3. A light breeze can help the sealcoating shed its water by clearing saturated air from above the pavement. However, if the wind is too strong during the application process, it can be difficult to ensure an even spray or to keep the spray from drifting onto landscaping, sidewalks, buildings, or vehicles. In addition, in extremely hot weather, too much wind can allow the top layers to dry too rapidly, trapping too much moisture beneath. This can cause the sealcoating to crack or flake.
4. Sealcoating at night or on an overcast day can present problems. If everything goes right, the sealant will cure once it has sufficient sunlight. Highly experienced contractors know how to do it successfully, but most of them prefer not to apply sealants late in the afternoon, at night, or on an extremely cloudy day.
5. Even light rain can mar the looks of uncured sealcoating, and a more substantial rain can thoroughly wash the liquid sealant from the pavement.
6. Sealcoating should not be done before crackfilling has been performed. Furthermore, you will need to have your parking lot striping reapplied after sealcoating; the sealant will cover all pavement markings. Contractors who offer all of these paving services may need to consider what the weather will be like on multiple days before accepting the job.

When you need asphalt maintenance in Richmond, trust US Asphalt Maintenance, we are known for exceptional quality and remarkable customer service. We have been helping companies protect and preserve their pavements for more than 35 years. Our paving services include parking lot striping and pavement markings, asphalt sealcoating, and crackfilling, and we also offer pavement management programs that can save you time and money. In addition, we have a driveway division that serves Richmond, VA homeowners. Contact us for a free quote by calling 804-625-7325 or submitting the online request form.