Everything You Need to Know About Repairing and Maintaining Asphalt in Cold Weather
Maintaining your asphalt parking lot or driveway is a large responsibility. To add to your existing maintenance and repair duties, winter and cold temperatures bring an abundance of new challenges for homeowners and business owners alike. However, proper cold-weather planning, maintenance, and emergency repairs are paramount to preserving the structural integrity of your asphalt for years to come.
How Do Cold Temperatures Affect Asphalt?
Cold Seattle temperatures can mean bad news for your asphalt parking lot or driveway. One common issue is that cold temperatures cause your asphalt to become rigid and prone to cracking. This is because the cold causes the asphalt to contract, creating tiny cracks on the surface of your parking lot or driveway. When water or melted snow seeps into these cracks, it expands as it freezes, causing the cracks to become larger and more profound. This often leads to potholes and other types of damage to your asphalt.
Cold temperatures also make it more difficult for asphalt to be properly mixed and applied, which can affect the overall quality of the surface and make it hard to perform repairs. Lastly, snow and ice can make it more difficult for vehicles to get traction, leading to accidents and safety hazards for pedestrians.
In addition to cold temperatures’ effects on asphalt, a build-up of snow and ice can be troublesome for homeowners and business owners, as you must perform daily maintenance to ensure your driveway or parking lot is usable. This includes snow removal, de-icing, and an overall increased level of upkeep.
If you feel overwhelmed about maintaining your driveway or parking this upcoming winter, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about repairing and maintaining asphalt in cold weather.
Cold Weather Asphalt Maintenance
Prepare Your Parking Lot or Driveway in Advance
Since your options for maintenance and repair are limited during the cold temperature months, you’ll want to perform every maintenance service, such as crack repairs, filling potholes, applying seal coating, removing standing water, cleaning, and pressure washing months before winter begins. This will give you a sound of mind that no major structural issues are unchecked when the colder temperatures do roll around.
Stock Up on Essential Items
Before the cold weather officially hits, you’ll want to purchase essential items such as shovels, de-icers, and cold mix asphalt. Whether you are a business owner or homeowner, these items will be crucial for day-to-day maintenance as well as last-minute repairs during the winter season.
Snow shovels will allow you to effectively clear away snow piled onto your parking lot or driveway, and de-icers will help prevent people from slipping on your asphalt surface. Cold mix asphalt is also great to have on hand for temporary but effective repairs.
Regular Snow Shoveling
One of the most important factors of cold weather maintenance is keeping your driveway or parking lot clear of snow. Regular snow shoveling is essential for preventing snow accumulation that will eventually melt into standing pools of water, leading to asphalt damage.
Schedule Your Winter Services
If you dread waking up on those cold days to shovel snow and de-ice your parking lot, consider contacting an asphalt paving company for winter maintenance services. This will help keep your asphalt driveway or parking lot in tip-top shape while saving you the stress and hassle of daily maintenance.
Cold Weather Asphalt Repair
Repairing asphalt during winter can be challenging because the freezing temperatures cause the asphalt to become brittle and less flexible. This makes it harder for the repair material to bond properly with the existing asphalt. However, it is still possible to perform temporary repairs with a cold mix asphalt product.
Here are a few tips for repairing asphalt in cold weather:
Use a Cold Mix Asphalt Repair Material
Cold mix asphalt is specifically designed for use in cold temperatures. This product is formulated to remain pliable and easy to work with in even freezing weather, allowing for a successful pothole or crack repair.
Clean and Prepare the Area
Before applying your cold patch repair materials, thoroughly clean and prep the designated area. This guarantees that the material will bond properly with the existing asphalt.
Apply the Repair Material
Apply the repair material in thin layers. This will help prevent cracking and ensure it remains strong and durable throughout the freezing winter season.
Protect the Repaired Area
Protect your driveway or parking lot from vehicle usage until it has had time to cure. This will help prevent further issues to the damaged area and ensure that it can withstand the rest of the winter season.
In spite of simply being a temporary solution, cold patch asphalt is an excellent choice for homeowners and business owners needing immediate repairs during the winter.
Schedule Your Winter Services With NYS Enterprises
At NYS Enterprises, we specialize in comprehensive winter asphalt services for parking lots and driveways. Whether you need assistance with clearing your parking lot of snow, or want to de-ice your Seattle area driveway to ensure your family’s safety, we are here to help.
Our team can help you prepare for anything from typical cold temperatures to a major winter storm or emergency situation.
Contact NYS Enterprises
NYS Enterprises is here to assist you with all your cold weather asphalt maintenance needs in the Greater Seattle area. We look forward to hearing from you!
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