When Is The Right Time For A Seal Coating Procedure To Be Conducted?

By Ines Flores


Asphalt material is used in paving surfaces in homes and commercial premises. After installing driveways and parking lots, make sure you conduct regular inspections to determine how the surfaces are doing. Due to constant use and effects of wear and tear, you will need to ensure the surfaces are protected. A seal coating procedure should be conducted to preserve your pavements.

A number of elements both natural and manmade will act on blacktop. These elements include UV light, snow, deicing salts, moisture, and gasoline products. UV light heats your asphalt pavement and makes it to harden and change its color. If you notice a change in color from the deep black to a light gray color, then it means that the blacktop is degrading.

You can recondition it using a sealant material. The sealcoat will make your pavements to be flexible and look like new. Due to effects of UV light, pavements will crack. The first tiny hairline cracks may not be a problem and they can be corrected easily with use of a sealcoat. However, when you leave the blacktop unprotected, the fine cracks will worsen and develop to bigger cracks.

A sealcoat will enhance the flexibility of asphalt. In order for asphalt to withstand the weight of vehicles, it needs to expand and contract. Besides, the expansion and contraction caused by changes in weather will be counteracted by the flexibility of pavements. If it is rigid, it will not allow for such expansion and contractions. One way to improve flexibility is by applying sealcoats.

Water that has settled in cracks within the sub grade layer will freeze during the winter and melt thereafter. During the freeze thaw cycle, your pavements will be left with big potholes as the voids are filled with the blacktop material. When the frozen water melts, it leaves empty cracks, which cause the material on top to come down crumbing and fill the spaces.

Sunlight and water are the most destructive elements to asphalt pavements. During the winter season, you may use deicing salts to remove the snow forming on your pavements. These salts may cause damage to sealant materials. Gasoline products also damage pavements since they interact with the asphalt material.

If you have defects like big crack and potholes, repair them first before applying a sealcoat. If you apply a sealant, it will only mask those defects and soon the material will wear out and expose the defects. Water also damages pavements by seeping inside and settling at the base. Inside the sub grade layer, water will freeze and widen cracks. When frozen water melts away, it leaves a void that fills will the material at the top.

It is required that after very three to five years a new layer of sealant material is applied. Nonetheless, it may be determined by other factors including the use of pavement, effects caused by UV light, water, and snow. At times, you may have to reapply the sealant within a shorter period than expected. One thing you need to ensure is that you consult with a contractor who uses quality sealcoating materials.




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