Your parking lot is an important amenity that contributes to the actual and perceived value of your property, but it also contributes to the perceived value of your goods or services. If you have an asphalt parking lot, it is crucial for you to develop an effective maintenance plan for it. Although there are several procedures that you should include in your Birmingham asphalt maintenance plan, sealcoating should be at the top of your list. Otherwise, the binder that holds your pavement together will begin to deteriorate very quickly after installation. Your pavement can become dry, hard, brittle, faded, or it can develop soft, crumbly spots. Hiring a trustworthy company to periodically apply a high-quality sealcoat can give your pavement protection, save you money, and improve your property’s aesthetic appeal.

How Does Sealcoating Protect an Asphalt Pavement?

Asphalt pavements are assailed by several extremely formidable enemies. These include ultraviolet radiation, automotive fluids and other chemicals, and water. A reputable, experienced Birmingham sealcoating company can help your asphalt pavement fend off its attackers.

1. The sun emits UV rays, and you have probably heard that these rays can dry out your skin. They can also dry out your asphalt pavement. Asphalt pavements need to retain their moisture so that they can give under loads, then rebound without incurring damage. When UV rays steal the moisture from your pavement, it becomes too hard to flex as it should. The dried-out pavement turns brittle, which virtually guarantees that significant cracks will develop. Asphalt parking lot sealcoating is an extremely effective sunscreen that blocks UV radiation.
2. Most automotive fluids and certain other chemicals are petroleum distillates. Once upon a time, these distillates happily coexisted together as crude oil, and they will try to recombine when they come into contact with each other. Asphalt is also a petroleum distillate. When vehicles leak gasoline, brake fluid, oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, diesel, or other petrochemicals, they will try to recombine with the asphalt binder in your pavement. The spot beneath the vehicle fluids becomes soft and crumbles, and a pothole will quickly appear. Having an asphalt sealcoating company seal your pavement regularly will buy you more time to remove petrochemicals before they begin to interact with your pavement. However, the petrochemicals will eventually eat through your sealcoating. Therefore, you still need to clean up automotive fluids periodically to protect both your parking lot sealcoating and your pavement.
3. Water has the potential to inflict the greatest damage on your asphalt pavement. While you do not want to ignore puddles that linger long after the rest of the pavement dries, it is the water that gets beneath the surface that can do the most damage. Cracks and potholes are access points that let water penetrate all the way to the pavement’s supporting foundation. The water erodes the foundation, compromising its strength and stability. Without the proper support, your pavement will sink in the areas where there is nothing but air between the pavement and its foundation. Signs of a compromised foundation include alligator cracking and potholes. If you hire a qualified Birmingham asphalt sealcoating contractor to perform periodic applications of a high-quality sealant, you can prevent much of the damage that could lead to water infiltration.

How Does Sealcoating an Asphalt Pavement Save Money?

Asphalt sealcoating dramatically reduces the number of costly repairs that your pavement will need over its lifetime. Furthermore, studies have shown that asphalt parking lot sealcoating can double or triple the useful life of your pavement. Without sealcoating, your parking lot could become too damaged to salvage within as little as eight years, so your only option would be to tear it out and rebuild it. Other studies have quantified the average savings for a 10,000 square yard parking lot at more than $150,000 over 15 years, or a savings of 48% when compared to an unmaintained equivalent parking lot.

How Does Sealcoating Enhance the Aesthetics of an Asphalt Pavement?

Whether you want to attract the best employees, tenants, or customers, you cannot underestimate the importance of your property’s curb appeal. Your curb appeal is an important factor in the first impression of your operation that visitors will form. Reputable sealcoating contractors in Birmingham can help you make sure that your parking lot makes a favorable first impression.

1. The same UV rays that make asphalt pavements brittle and dry also rob them of their color. Instead of the luxurious, deep black color that your parking lot had when it was first completed, it can turn an unsightly shade of brown or gray. Regular applications of sealcoating in Birmingham can prevent the sun from fading the color of your pavement. Furthermore, a knowledgeable sealcoating company can usually restore faded pavements to their original dark color.
2. Parking lot sealcoating provides excellent contrast for your line striping and pavement markings. This enhances the aesthetics of your parking lot, but it also makes it easier for people to see your stripes and markings, thereby enhancing safety.
3. It is not uncommon for the surface of asphalt pavements to develop hairline cracks or other tiny imperfections. Although sealcoating is not a repair product, it can fill in tiny cracks and other surface flaws. As a result, the pavement appears smoother, neater, and more attractive.

The Surface Masters is the company to trust for your sealcoating in Birmingham. We also offer crack sealing, asphalt paving, pavement markings, asphalt repairs, asphalt milling and reclamation, and concrete services. We are experienced parking lot specialists with an impeccable reputation for honesty, customer service, and craftsmanship. We offer free quotes, so use our online form to submit your request. If you prefer, you can make your request by phone; just call 470-557-8985 to reach us at our office.