Keep Your New Asphalt in Tip-Top Shape

General Maintenance Tips

1. After new work is performed keep traffic off the area for at least 24 hours.

2. Keep it clean! Sweeping your parking lot or driveway regularly removes debris that falls into in cracks and hides the true condition of your asphalt. By keeping it clean, you'll know about problem areas well before you need to repair them. Make sure to remove any weeds growing in cracks.

3. Make sure that all large cracks are filled to prevent water and debris from eroding your parking lot. 

4. Clean up oil stains. Not only are they unpleasant to look at, but the oil can break down your asphalt faster.

5. If you haven't done so recently, consider sealcoating your parking lot. Sealcoating protects your asphalt from excessive water damage, debris, oxygen, UV rays and general wear-and-tear. We recommend sealcoating every 2 to 3 years.
Extra Tips for Commercial Properties

1. Fix and maintain drainage areas. Water is one of the main reasons parking lots break down - especially if that water gets trapped underneath the asphalt and freezes over winter.

2. Reduce the number of times heavy vehicles access your parking lot (if possible). Consider moving garbage containers closer to the roadway to reduce the distance garbage trucks have to drive over your pavement.

3. Maintain visibly marked parking-lot stripes. Not only will your parking lot look better, but well-marked stripes are an important safety precaution for your customers.

4. Immediately repair problem areas that could present a safety concern for customers. This includes excessively large pot holes and broken pavement.
Extra Tips for Homeowners

1. If you have installed an entirely new driveway, keep cars off the area for 24 hours while the pavement settles. Wait at least 6 months to seal a newly installed asphalt driveway.

2. Avoid driving on the edges of your driveway. This is where the asphalt is weakest, especially if it is new (under 2 years old).

3. Automotive fluids, chemicals, oil, gasoline, diesel and heating oil can damage or dissolve asphalt. Clean up any spills as quickly and best as possible.

4. Don't leave pointed or sharp objects on your driveway. Kickstands, jacks and jack stands can make dents in asphalt!

5. For Parked Cars: Don't sharply turn the wheels of any vehicle while in your driveway - it can damage the surface coating. Also, regularly changing the place where your car is parked can prevent indentations in the asphalt.