There is a number of accidents and damaged vehicles’ incidents due to unmaintained parking lots. Having a smooth and even parking lot is important to reducing such unforeseen events. Sometimes, potholes and cracks appear naturally on a parking lot, which need close attention. Due to large loads of traffic in a parking lot, as well as changes in moisture in the air and temperature fluctuations, asphalt damage is inevitable. Changes can result in the asphalt structure gradually producing potholes and cracks. In order to keep the pavement of a parking lot in good condition, preventative maintenance should always be performed long before the condition of the parking lot becomes so bad that it needs to be replaced completely. These preventive maintenance methods generally include the application of seal coating, crack repair, thin overlays, and application of slurry seal in order to repair the normal wear & tear. These maintenance operations are very helpful in extending the life of your parking lot.
There are three main benefits of preventative maintenance:
1. Preservation of Aesthetics
The appearance of a cracked, faded, pothole-filled parking lot compared to a parking lot that is well-maintained can create a drastic difference in your property’s impression. When your parking lot is smooth, even, and free of holes and cracks, then your business or property will look impressive giving your clients and customers a positive impression. This will create positive emotions (or at least avoid negative ones) in their minds when it comes to your business. Such parking lots, which undergo regular preventative maintenance retain a completely new appearance of the property that contributes to exerting the overall effect of your property upon your employees and visitors.
2. Reduction in Liability
If the parking lot of your property is not in good condition and is affected by some major and even minor cracks and holes, visitors are more susciple to injury. Injury does not only include their physical body but also includes their vehicles. If injuries occur, your business could be held responsible, potentially costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars. The aesthetic reasons above are important but keeping a parking lot safer for visitors should be your number one priority. You should seriously consider preventative parking lot maintenance long before any major incident happens.
3. Reduction in Costs
Preventative maintenance can save major replacement and repair costs for your parking lot. You can enhance the lifespan of your asphalt by keeping all the cracks repaired, performing consistent fillings, and making sure your parking lot is properly seal coated. Letting your parking accumulate damages can result in high costs because more work will need to be done. Often times, the neglect of your parking lot can result in needing a new parking lot or having to perform complete resurfacing.
Now the important question that must be roaming in your mind, when is the right time to repair your parking lot?
Minor damage to your parking lot is often times neglected and overlooked. These minor cosmetic issues turn into larger ones, the more vehicles use the parking lot. Numerous and large cracks as well as potholes are a sign that you need a professional. In cases where there are only some small cracks that are distributed over your parking lot area, minimal maintenance could be needed and probably should be performed in order to prevent the cracks from worsening. For these small cracks, many times, seal coating can be used to cosmetically and functionally fix the issues. It should be noted that If any crack will be left unattended, will get worse over time.
As you now know, preventative maintenance for your parking lot does not take a long time but can end up saving you thousands in the long run. Once your parking lot becomes poorly conditioned, your budget for construction and repairing increases. If you are interested in ensuring your parking lot looks good at all times, preventing injuries that are associated with potholes and cracks, and want to save money in the long run, give us a call to learn more about parking lot maintenance.
