Keep Your Parking Lot In Good Condition With These 4 Tips
An asphalt parking lot is an extension of your business and can leave an impression on customers and clients. However, if you're like most business owners, you don't think very much about your lot until there is extensive repair work to be done. Here are some things to do on a regular basis to ensure that your company's lot stays in good condition.
Hire a Street Sweeper
If you're unable to clean your parking lot yourself, it's important that you have someone regularly go through the lot and clean it. Leftover food, leaves and other debris can attract mice and other pests, so a sweeper can help you avoid those problems.
Fix Cracks Immediately
Over time your lot will start to develop cracks. You may think that's part of normal wear and tear, but every crack allows water to seep in underneath the asphalt in the lot to the soil underneath. When that happens, the soil may shift and cause more cracks and damage to the asphalt as people drive over it. Get every crack filled as soon as you are able.
Reroute Heavy Vehicles
Heavy vehicles such as garbage trucks and delivery trucks can cause a problem for your parking lot. Their weight can cause cracks in your parking lot. To avoid any damage to your asphalt lot, try your best to minimize the time heavy vehicles travel across your lot. For instance, you might move your garbage dumpsters to the edge of the lot, so that garbage trucks can pick up trash from the road instead of on your lot. You might also request that deliveries be made on the street so that the truck doesn't have to spend any time on your parking lot.
Consider Sealcoating
One of the best things you can do for your lot is to have sealcoating done. This process protects the lot from sun and rain damage so that it doesn't start to look faded and unattractive. You can tell the difference between a sealed lot and an unsealed lot because a sealed lot looks black and new, while other lots look gray and outdated.
Now that you have some idea of the kind of activities you need to do to maintain the quality of your parking lot, use the information above to help you get started. Be sure to consult an asphalt paving contractor who can help you fix minor cracks and other problems, so your lot continues to look smooth.