parking lot maintenance

7 Parking Lot Maintenance Reminders

Posted by Rick Coyer on with 4 Comments

Parking lot maintenance reminders are extremely helpful to maximize the life of your asphalt or concrete parking lot. Helpful tips usually involve carefully inspecting the surfaces, regularly sweeping for debris, quickly repairing any signs of cracks larger than a quarter inch wide, and resurfacing pavement when needed. Consistently performing the appropriate repairs and maintenance will ensure your last longer, which saves you money over the life of your parking lot.

Creating regular parking lot maintenance reminders prevents larger issues that always seem to happen at the worst time and necessitate costly emergency repairs. A parking lot would be like any other usual surface except for the fact vehicles are driving and parking and leaking on it on it all day long. This kind of wear and tear puts a lot of pressure on concrete and asphalt surfaces. Throw daily rain into the mix like we experience here in florida, your parking lot is definitely going to need regular TLC. For those planning to build a parking plot (or any asphalt or concrete surface) in your next construction project,  the actual installation of parking lot surfaces is equally important to overall longevity, so make sure it’s done right the first time. We at ARC Development can make sure it’s done perfectly. In the meantime, here are 5 parking lot maintenance tips:

Valuable Parking Lot Maintenance Tips

1.  Add Sealcoating To Parking Lot Surfaces

This is one of the most important, if not THE MOST, tip we’re providing. A fresh layer of sealcoat regularly every couple years will help prevent breakdown of materials. It will also stop water, debris and other harmful elements from degrading your pavement. Sealcoating intervals are determined by how much traffic your parking lot gets, so if you see a high amount of wear and tear on your parking lot, give it some sealcoat. If you don’t want to deal with it, give us a call. We can put you on a regular maintenance schedule. 

2. Clean Parking Lot Surfaces Regularly

Cleaning parking lot surfaces regularly will help prevent a lot of damage a parking lot surface receives over its lifetime. Once a month or more, surfaces should be cleaned of all debris, including garbage and leaves. This is also the time to clean up any fuel or oil, which will deteriorate surfaces if left for too long.

Leaking vehicles are unavoidable in parking lots but oil can wreak havoc over pavement surfaces. Oil breaks down surfaces, creates ugly blemishes, and ultimately degrades your parking lot. There are myriad of methods used to clean oil stain but just make sure it’s cleaned up on a regular basis. 

3. Inspect Parking Lots Carefully For Cracks, Stains, & Other Damages

Once a week, take the time to inspect surfaces for cracks, fading, or other imperfections that could potentially lead to liability issues. The sooner you identify issues the less expensive it will be to make repairs. 

4. Fix Cracks Immediately

Cracks that measure wider than ¼-inch are typically good candidates for repairs. Water is the reason for road repair in Florida  so a crack in your pavement is a wide open door for harm. In addition to water seeping into cracks, watch out for vegetation. If you see weeds springing up you should take care of that right away. The root systems can grow over time and cause irreversible damage.  People can also trip over them, which you leaves open to liability.. Plus, you’re helping create a stronger, dryer and more solid surface. Some cracks are too small to require sealant, but any crack that is big enough to benefit from sealant should be taken care of right away.

5. Redesign Your Parking Lot Occasionally

Change isn’t always bad. If the traffic flow is wearing down certain areas of your parking lot, you should make right of way changes from time to time.  New striping will balance the wear and tear and extend the life of the parking lot. When you make changes to parking lot design, remember to be in compliance with ADA guidelines because they are very strict. 

6. Handle Parking Lot Drainage Issues ASAP

Parking lots require proper drainage in order to survive rain, snow and other influxes of water. Backed up drains are the same as having no drain, and this creates an unsightly and potentially noxious smelling issue.  Without having proper drainage, rain water will pool on top of parking lot surfaces and seep into the surface, especially if you don’t have a good coat of sealcoat. This is setting the stage for a lot of future damage and expensive repair. Water damage is the number one enemy of concrete and asphalt, so do your best to make sure your parking lot has more than adequate draining capabilities. 

7. Rely On ARC Development

ARC Development pours premium, commercial parking lots that are built to last. With tens of thousands of hours  of experience, we are true masters of parking lot installations and repairs. As solution providers and problem solvers, our impeccable testimonials speak themselves. Contact us today for a quote on your next project.

Asphalt Paving Companies Have Work To Do Post Hurricane Irma

Posted by Rick Coyer on

Water Damage Abounds

Asphalt paving companies in Florida are going to have their work cut out for them, as water is number one nemesis of concrete and asphalt, and the number one cause for road repair. Irma dropped a ton of rain and caused extensive flooding over the state, which will result in ensuing road repairs all over the state.

In addition to winds over 100 mph, Hurricane Irma dropped so much water that Florida roads were able to accommodate leisure activities usually confined to our lakes rivers, like wakeboarding in Miami. Miami was hit super hard and asphalt paving companies are going to be tested.

Flooding in the roads was more prolific in southwestern parts of the state and the keys, and asphalt paving companies are going to be busy in the six months, because water is absorbed into the ground and the porous rocks beneath the roads, weakening their integrity and causing sinkholes. Studies conducted on the subject of water saturation and concrete confirmed the following facts about concrete and asphalt paving:

  • The compressive strength of concrete is reduced when it is water-saturated. This is primarily caused by the absorption effect of water, manifested in its splitting action in the micro-fissures and micro-formations of stressed concrete. But with other conditions being constant, the fresher the concrete, the lower is the reduction in strength. The effectiveness of the advantageous infuence of deformation constraint of lateral expansion on the strength of compressed concrete in the water-saturated state is lower than in the air-dry state.
  • If the tensile deformation of concrete is strongly constrained, like in strongly constrained conditions of action of concrete, then the absorption effect of water on its strength is negligible.
  • Constraint on the expansion of water-saturated concrete in underwater or water-washed conduits in hydraulic structures, especially tunnel linings, may considerably improve its strength.

 

A post shared by Lola ? (@lee_ellie_legend) on

Roads are going to be stressed and weakened from the rain dumped by Hurricane Irma, so be aware and careful as you drive. If your roads or parking lots need repair or fortifying after Hurricane Irma, or you need the best asphalt paving company who knows how to work with the elements and constantly changing situations to build long lasting roads and parking lots, we can help.

Call now

or fill out the form below

    road repair

    The Number 1 Reason For Road Repair in Florida

    Posted by Rick Coyer on

    Even though they handle thousand pound vehicles driving on them all day and night, road repair is required from time to time. In Florida, it’s common for roads to experience sinkholes, cave ins, potholes, and depressions. These damages can alter the flow of traffic, sometimes instantly, and create an immediate hazard or danger.

    What can have such a profoundly destructive impact on concrete and asphalt? Water. Water is usually the primary reason necessitating road repair. Water damage underlines the importance of preventative sealing applications.

    Why is water so damaging to concrete and asphalt roads?

    Unless the sealing mentioned above isn’t applied, water will penetrate the asphalt or concrete and seep underneath into the base material, weakening it, and cracking as traffic continues to drive over it, eventually forming a pothole. If the new asphalt isn’t packed properly, water will continue to seep in and future road repair will be necessary.

    “In the last five years, 16 million drivers across the country have suffered pothole damage to their vehicles,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “The problems range from tire punctures and bent wheels, to more expensive suspension damage.”

    Road repair can become costly over time, some studies have the damage cost to U.S. drivers at over $3 billion per year, which is why getting roads built properly the first time around is so important. You know who you can trust with that, ARC Development.