Once a paving service contractor has laid out an asphalt parking lot for your business, you'll want to maintain its smooth and clean appearance. In the summer, that entails specific care. As the weather continues warming up, use these tips to keep your asphalt in good shape.

A Guide to Summer Asphalt Pavement Maintenance

1. Improve Drainage

Standing water can damage the asphalt by wearing down the material and leaking beneath the surface, where it will freeze and expand during the colder months. This will strain the asphalt, forming cracks and potholes. 

If your asphalt tends to hold water, talk to a paving contractor about fixing the affected areas and sloping the lot just enough to direct the water toward a drain elsewhere.

2. Make Repairs

Cracks widen into potholes after rain seeps into them. Potholes can then grow and cause injuries and damage to vehicles if someone steps or drives into them. 

To keep your customers and employees safe, have a paving service fix these blemishes while the weather is still warm. Arrange for professional parking lot resurfacing or replacement if you notice widespread fading, sunken areas, or crumbling around the edges, indicating the asphalt is worn out.

3. Clean the Surface

The combination of summer humidity, thunderstorms, and debris on the ground can lead to mold and mildew growth on the pavement. If given a chance to spread, the fungus will cause the asphalt to deteriorate faster. Sweep the lot weekly with a push broom and wash it monthly with a pressure washer or pump sprayer accompanied by gentle detergent.

4. Reapply Sealcoating

When your parking lot was installed, it was likely topped with a layer of sealcoating that repels water, chemicals, and debris while strengthening the asphalt against the weight of vehicles and other heavy objects. After about three years, it wears off. If it’s been that long since installation, summer is the perfect time to ask a paving service to renew the sealcoating. The warm temperatures help it cure quickly and completely.

If you need a reliable paving service to help maintain or repair the asphalt for your business, contact GMG General in Anchorage, AK. With more than 15 years of experience in parking lot and driveway construction, they'll help resolve any asphalt issue. They even handle asphalt removal and replacement if damage or deterioration is too extensive to be repaired. To get a free estimate, call them today at (907) 349-7854 or message them online.