Indiana’s warmer summer months are here. These sunny days present the perfect opportunity for taking care of outdoor maintenance. Flowerbeds are planted and weeded; tomatoes and herbs are potted; lawns are mowed and trimmed; patios are swept clean. What about outdoor maintenance for asphalt? Whether you have an asphalt driveway or a commercial parking lot, summer is a great time to assess any upkeep for asphalt that may have been neglected during the colder season. Here’s the maintenance you should perform on your asphalt for the summer and why.
Just as the summer sun can cause skin damage, long days, high temperatures and UV radiation can cause damage to asphalt pavement. Black asphalt absorbs heat, and the surface becomes softer and increasingly susceptible to damage. This softer surface is more easily sunk and cracked. This damage can increase over time. To help prevent this summer damage and extend the life of your, be sure to take the appropriate preventative measures.

  • Seal your asphalt — Heat retention and UV radiation can cause significant damage to your asphalt. Sealing your asphalt on a regular schedule can help decrease the adverse affects of this and prevent serious damage.
  • Crack sealing — Crack sealing is an incredibly cost-effective way to seriously extend the life of your asphalt. Crack sealing promptly and as a pretreatment to other treatments is most effective. However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t seal cracks in extreme heat or extreme cold. Wait for moderate temperatures.
  • Avoid sharp tools — Avoid using sharp tools (such as jacks) on or near asphalt whenever possible in the summer. These tools can cause depressions, cracks or potholes in the softened pavement.
  • Avoid weight — Again, whenever possible, avoid excess weight and traffic on pavement during the hotter months. This is more likely to cause strain and deterioration on the softened asphalt.

Hopefully, these maintenance tips come in handy. Asphalt is subject to increased stresses over the summer months. It’s incredibly important to keep up with a regular maintenance plan to counteract these forces. When you’re tending to your lawn or garden, spare a thought for your asphalt. Contact DC Construction today to set up a regular maintenance plan.