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The Importance of Removing Oil From Your Commercial Parking Lot

Maintaining a clean commercial parking lot is key to your success. Cleaning up motor oil is particularly important, as it not only damages your greatest asset but ultimately hurts your bottom line. There are three distinct advantages to quickly cleaning oil spills as part of regular pavement maintenance.

Extending the Life of Your Pavement

Asphalt is made from petroleum mixed with stones, sand, gravel and binders. In order for it to perform properly, the mixture of ingredients has to be just right and remain stable over time. Motor oil from vehicles changes the composition of asphalt if you don’t clean it up. This makes the pavement break down, leading to potholes.

You may not want to make the initial investment in cleaning up oil spills yourself or hiring a professional, but keep in mind that maintaining your parking lot isn’t that different from maintaining the roof on your home or other expensive asset. Keeping your parking lot in good shape means not having to shell out thousands of dollars down the road to make repairs.

Attracting Customers

A clean space is more likely to attract customers to any business. Looking in at smooth, clean pavement makes potential customers feel more comfortable about parking, and they may just turn in without even thinking about other options. A parking lot full of oil stains and potholes may keep that blinker off until they see a more attractive option. They may also feel comfortable throwing down their own trash in a lot that already seems dirty.

If uncleaned oil spills do in fact lead to potholes, customers now have another reason to keep driving. They are not likely to risk damage to their expensive vehicles and face costly repairs if there are better options available.

Helping Develop a Pavement Preservation Plan

Your commercial parking lot represents some, or all, of your income, so it is important to take care of it just as you would a building or other asset. Part of taking care of your investment is having a long-term plan to maintain its health so you can predict, and count on, future revenue. You should know your lot inside and out, including the age of the pavement, what repairs are already completed, what repairs should be in the immediate works, and how long you have before future repairs.

By failing to remove oil stains, you throw a curve ball into your future pavement maintenance plans. You may think you have some time before you have to spend the money for repairs, but that timeline moves up if you have damage due to oil leaks that were left behind. Keeping up with cleaning efforts means creating a much better chance that you can accurately predict your future income. Even an average of one lost parking spot per month due to repairs from oil damage impacts your bottom line.

There are many good reasons to quickly remove oil from your commercial parking lot, and failing to do so not only has individual effects, but cumulatively can cut severely into your bottom line. Spend the time and money on proper maintenance to protect your investment in the long term.

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Five Reasons To Seal and Finish Your Sidewalks

We usually think of wood and plastic when it comes to frequently used materials in the world. However, concrete is quickly becoming one of the most popular items used, especially for sidewalks found everywhere. For businesses, protecting their investment is a priority. When it comes to sidewalks,  it’s essential to finish and seal them to get the most extended lifespan possible. Here are a few reasons why you need to consider concrete sealing.

Stops Mold Growth

Concrete is a porous substance, which creates the likelihood of mold formation. Excess moisture will build-up without protecting your sidewalks. Even smaller cracks can be the culprit of mold growth that could turn your property into an unsightly green color.  Keeping your sidewalks sealed will prevent cracking that eventually lead to mold overtaking your entire sidewalk. You want extra moisture out? Get it sealed.

Durability 

In most areas of the United States, extreme weather is not uncommon. High or low temperatures and various kinds of precipitation can take a beating to your sidewalk.  Again, cracking can become an issue as well as compromising its overall structure. Concrete sealing provides an answer for the sustainability of your sidewalks for years to come!  Taking this extra step can eliminate additional maintenance and unnecessary expenses. In any region you live in, you’ll feel confident that concrete sealing is your answer for the protection you need.

Longer Lifespan

Could there be a better reason than longer lifespan as a reason why you should consider concrete sealing? Concrete already has a better than average lifespan, but it is still susceptible to cracking, mold formation, and losing its luster. Damage to concrete is usually created because of an excess of moisture or water penetration. Applying a sealer to your sidewalk essentially makes it waterproof, meaning you’ll reap the benefits of a functional sidewalk for decades.

Aesthetically Appealing 

Unfortunately, concrete can become discolored when it is exposed to extreme weather. The result can make sidewalks look lifeless, old, and unappealing to anyone who sees it. It’s often said that you don’t get a second chance to make a great first impression. The same statement holds water when you are the owner of any property. When you have a business, first impressions are critical to the long-term success of your operation. You want potential customers to feel good about what they see.  When you choose concrete sealing, any additional water, sunlight, or mold will be far less likely to get down deep inside your sidewalk. A beautiful exterior for years to come awaits!

Lifelong Insurance!

Concrete sealing will make your sidewalks unable from being stained. It’s almost impossible for spills to happen along any sidewalk, but you won’t have to worry about damage or any fading that could occur. Concrete sealing is meant to serve as a permanent solution to eliminate any possible breakdown in the structure.

Sealing and finishing your concrete will involve a small investment, but the long term benefits will undoubtedly put money in your pocket. When you want a long-lasting solution for your sidewalks, there are tremendous benefits when it comes to concrete sealing. Concrete is an essential substance in the world of construction, but it also needs to be appropriately maintained. Consider these reasons before you decide to forgo on this necessary task.

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Repair Denver’s Harsh Winter Damage with Asphalt Repair

People from Colorado will undoubtedly tell you that while winters in the Rocky Mountains are no-nonsense, winter in Denver gets terrible. Even though the snow is considerable, the comparatively moderate winter is excellent for outdoor activities such as snowshoeing, snowboarding, skiing, and other outdoor recreation. Spring skiing and fuzzy snow aside, winter weather does not have to be much harsh to cause asphalt damage.

Moisture and cold can cause damage to concrete and asphalt structures – if you take long to safeguard your asphalt, it will get harder to repair it. Thankfully, several Colorado asphalt repair professionals can help you in protecting your asphalt from the harsh winter damage.

How Does Extreme Weather Affect Asphalt?

Asphalt is prone to the impacts of water damage resulting from extreme weather conditions, which means tons of snow and freezing temperatures in Denver. Luckily, with preventive measures and routine maintenance from Denver asphalt repair professionals, you can make sure that your asphalt remains strong as the mountain rocks.

Effects of Cold & Moisture on Asphalt

When water from ice and snow filter through the porous surface of your asphalt, it gradually erodes the structural purity of the asphalt. However, the actual damage happens when the outside temperatures go below the freezing point. When water freezes, it expands. The moisture contained in asphalt only requires a single freezing day to crack due to the strain of the expanding ice and water.

Effects of UV Rays on Asphalt

Denver city is one mile high, and that means that asphalt in Denver is nearer to the sun and the destructive effects associated with it. UV rays accelerate the rate of surface degradation, which forms small waves and soft spots across the surface of your asphalt.

Daily use and UV rays make the components that join asphalt together weak, which might lead to the fading of the black color of asphalt into a dull gray. Sealcoating cracks are the best method of protecting your asphalt from UV rays and heat whenever damage occurs and routine preventive maintenance.

How to Prevent and Repair Erosion & Damage

With some advice about paving and preventive maintenance from professionals, you can protect your asphalt from the harsh winter weather damage effects.

Repairing Storm Basins

Storm basins are constructed to hold and restrain water from the surface of your asphalt before accumulating to cause damage. But, it is not unusual for runoff from snow and a torrential downpour to move the storm basin from its designated position.

If you see water accumulating in places, it shouldn’t be or cracks in your storm basin, contact a Denver Asphalt repair professional right away. Remember that an inch of water can cause damage to thousands of dollars.

Sealcoating

It is a method used to protect asphalt from gas and oil spills. Sealcoating also prevents the spread of cracks, thus enhancing the artistic taste of the asphalt surface and increasing the durability of the asphalt construction.

Crack Sealing

Crack sealing your asphalt increases the durability of your structure by preventing debris and water from accumulating in the cracks on the surface of your asphalt.

Protect Your Asphalt from Harsh Winter Damage

Hiring professional paving contractors in Denver is the best way to protect your asphalt from the damaging effects of the harsh winter weather. From big business projects to basic repair and maintenance, they provide the best paving solutions in Denver. So, don’t hesitate to seek assistance from an expert if you notice any asphalt damage to your structure.

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What is the Typical Life Cycle of an Asphalt Parking Lot?

No matter how sturdily a structure is laid, it will eventually reach a time when it will require maintenance or replacement. The period it takes before reaching such an instant defines a structure’s lifecycle. Asphalt parking is one such structure, and if you own one, then you need to keep updated on essential aspects that define its lifecycle.

Various factors affect the lifecycle of an Asphalt parking lot. Environmental conditions, design and construction elements, water drainage means, frequency of maintenance, and significant of all, traffic load, are some of the critical aspects to the lifecycle of an Asphalt parking lot.

In this article, we shall focus specifically on the lifecycle of an asphalt parking lot as well as factors signifying a need for maintenance or replacement.

Asphalt Parking Lot’s Life Cycle

In overall, a standard asphalt parking lot can last for up to 25 years. However, this period can reduce or increase depending on asphalt maintenance regularity. But what happens during this lasting period?

Well, let’s have a look.

0 to 5 years: For the first five years since construction, your asphalt parking is still strong and probably shows little or no signs of damage. If anything, the surface might have insignificantly deformed while color discoloration might be visible, especially if it is extensively exposed to sunlight.

5 to 7 years: During this period, your parking lot starts experiencing minor cracks, thereby necessitating for maintenance services. Practices such as crack-sealing and seal-coating are necessary at this stage.

7 to 15 years: With proper maintenance practices during the previous phase, your parking might not undergo significant damages for the next 15 years. However, you should continually check for damages while ensuring necessary maintenance practices for prolonged endurance.

15 to 25 years: After 15 years of use, you should expect your Asphalt parking lot to have started developing visible cracks as well as considerable deformation. If such damages are significant, you might need to resurface your parking lot.

Over 25 years: beyond 25 years signifies the end of the parking’s life cycle. During this stage, it has undergone extensive damages and probably multiple repairs, which means it might no longer withhold the weight of your vehicle. If more repairs seem to be of no help, then you can reconstruct the entire structure.

Maintenance Practices Timing

Maintenance involves various activities including crack-sealing, seal-coating, and resurfacing, all which should be timely carried out. But how do you determine the best time for every maintenance practice?

Crack Sealing

Filling of small cracks in your parking lot should be done using a liquid concrete filler. Cracks to seal should be small, not exceeding half an inch in terms of width. You should schedule a crack sealing exercise every year to extend the lifecycle of your asphalt parking.

Seal coating

As one of the concrete maintenance activities, seal coating is meant to reduce concrete exposure from the effects of sunlight, spillages, water, and air oxidizers. Seal coating should be best carried out immediately after the crack sealing process or any other time beyond six months when damages start revealing.

Resurfacing

Extensive damages might eventually necessitate for resurfacing process. It involves adding a new asphalt layer on top of the existing one, a process also referred to as overlaying. This process should only happen after a decade of parking construction. You should also initiate it during favorable weather conditions, preferably during warm seasons.

Final Thoughts

Since timely maintenance is essential for your asphalt parking lot, you need to be observant on the emergence of an issue. If conditions such as cracks are unattended to, they may continually weaken the surface leading to a reduced timeline. Moreover, you should act on any issue you identify as soon as possible.

 

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Asphalt Pavement vs Concrete Pavement

Although the most obvious difference between asphalt pavement and concrete pavement is the appearance, there are many more differences that you may not notice at first sight. When deciding between the two surfaces, appearance is only one of the many factors to consider; continue reading to learn about the five main differences between asphalt and concrete: cost, lifespan, upkeep, sensitivity to temperature, and ease of repair.

Cost

When deciding between asphalt and concrete driveways, price is often the first consideration. Asphalt is typically cheaper, running $2-$5 per square foot on average. Concrete prices begin around $3-$9 per square foot. Many people who choose concrete driveways opt for customized designs, which can drive the price even higher.

Lifespan

While concrete may cost more initially, it has an average lifespan of about 30, and even up to 40 years, compared to an average lifespan of about 20 years for asphalt. This makes costs more comparable when thinking about the long term. This is something to consider when deciding between the two. If you will be in your home for 30-40 years, concrete may actually be more cost effective in the long run. Regardless of the pavement type, both require strategies for upkeep.

Upkeep

In order to keep asphalt pavement functioning to its highest potential, it needs to be re-sealed every few years. For asphalt pavement, sealing is strictly for function, and not for appearance, as the dark color of asphalt naturally hides stains and spills.

Concrete does not require as much upkeep, but it is more likely to stain or fade over time, so in order to maintain the appearance of concrete pavement, it can also be sealed.

Sensitivity to Temperature

If you’ve ever flown from north to south or vice versa, you’ve probably noticed that the majority of the driveways in the north are asphalt, while the majority of driveways in the south are concrete. This is because of how well each material withstands and reacts to temperature.

In extreme heat, asphalt can become gooey and even start to melt, and when it gets cold, it becomes much harder and more brittle. When asphalt continually goes through these temperature fluctuations, it is much more likely to crack.

Concrete, on the other hand, has a tendency to crack and buckle in extreme cold. Concrete also tends to be more popular in warmer climates because it doesn’t retain heat like asphalt does.

Ease of Repair

Even when you do everything you can to properly maintain a pavement surface, damages may still happen. When asphalt cracks or develops holes, it can be filled and sealed relatively easily. Because of the dark color, repairs are not very noticeable.

When repairing cracks in concrete, the repairs can be extremely obvious. Often, when there is a crack in concrete asphalt, the decision is made to replace the entire surface, rather than trying to repair and match the existing surface.

Conclusion

If you’re trying to decide between asphalt and concrete pavement, be sure to thoroughly research and think about your options. Your budget and the climate in which you live might be two of the biggest factors to take into consideration.