Mar 31 2009
Parking lots and pavement take a beating every winter. In the Southeast, constant freezing and thawing leaves lots faded, frayed, pocked, and potholed.
That's bad news for retailers, medical complexes and others that count on first impressions to attract customers.
There are solutions: patching, sealcoating, restriping and pressure washing.
"A fresh set of stripes is like rolling out the red carpet for your customers," says Tim Burton of Burton Service Company.
The winter months are actually an ideal time to seal cracks, says Burton. Cold temperatures cause asphalt pavement to contract, causing cracks to widen. Sealant applied when cracks are at their widest ensures the tightest seal.
Shopping malls and retail centers are particularly vulnerable to parking lot wear, Burton says.
"Imagine a football field - or 10 football fields - covered in asphalt," he says. "That's a lot of surface area for Mother Nature to wreak havoc on."
And the pounding these parking lots take from holiday traffic doesn't help, either.
Preventative maintenance helps, says Burton. A single application of premium sealcoat can last three to six years and protects the pavement from the elements.
Sealing a parking lot can minimize damage from gas and oil drips. It's also a good barrier against oxidation.
For many concrete parking lots, a fresh look may be as simple as high-pressure power washing. Commercial power washing can be done at night, Burton says, so as not to inconvenience customers or disrupt business.
For more information, visit http://www.subconsite.com