For an Asphalt pavement to be in good shape what is needed is an effective pavement care plan. And, the goal of any such care plan or maintenance routine is — to extend the life of the pavement.
Proper pavement care routines involve: pothole repair, crack filling, seal coating, and applying various other surface coatings to prolong the life of the asphalt pavement. Some maintenance regimens also include sweeping and line striping. To find out which regimen will suit your requirement you can get in touch with road maintenance service in Broward County for help.
What kind of maintenance routine will be done depends to a large extent on the condition of the pavement. Here we will look at the significance and benefits of sealing asphalt as one of the ways of maintaining pavements.
Why Does Asphalt Require Sealing?
Asphalt poses certain problems due to its chemical structure, despite it having adhesive and waterproofing characteristics. It is a complicated mixture of thousands of compounds, each with a different molecular structure.
When it is subject to attack by weather conditions, salts, and chemicals the molecules get easily destroyed. The binding and waterproofing qualities of asphalt are lost. A gradual change in the color of asphalt pavement from rich black to brown to grey is the first visual evidence of this process.
Asphalt is easily dissolved by other petroleum-derived materials, such as oils and fuels, fats, grease, mineral spirits, and so on. After all of the asphalt binder has been used up, the aggregates start to unravel.
The next step is the formation of tiny cracks that gradually spread and worsen. Water penetrates into the base layers and degrades the pavement’s load-bearing capacity if the cracks are not corrected at this stage. All this calls for proper pavement maintenance and sealing asphalt is one of them.
Types of Seal Coating
There are two main products generally used for seal coating: coal tar sealers and asphalt emulsion coatings. The first one is cheaper but requires more product management when it is being applied. It is more often applied by professional crews.
Asphalt emulsion sealers are easier to apply and they emit fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than regular coal-tar-based products. However, the protective layer is less resistant to chemical spills.
Two other types of asphalt sealers are acrylic and fast-dry. Acrylic sealers are synthetic compounds composed mostly of acrylic and polymers. They are considerably less harmful to the environment and pose fewer health risks to those who work regularly with it.
Fast-dry sealers are used for foot traffic about an hour after application and for vehicle traffic in a single day. This is a good option when a business needs to quickly return the driveway or parking lot to service. But fast-dry options do not last as long, and require temperatures of above 75 degrees Fahrenheit for application.
Benefits of Seal coating
If applied properly and at the right time, seal coating benefits the pavement in many ways:
- Beautification
A new seal coat gives the pavement a dark black tone, making it look like new. A black parking lot has a clean, rich appearance that gives the firm, facility, or residential complex a positive image. A newly seal-coated parking lot is also enhanced with striping.
- Reduces Oxidation and Water Penetration
Oxygen hardens asphalt binders, resulting in a brittle pavement surface that fractures easily. Water can permeate these fissures, weakening the sub foundation and diminishing pavement resilience. As a result, more cracks form, which can eventually expand and turn into potholes. Seal coats fill up surface spaces, limiting oxygen and water exposure and extending pavement life.
- Resists Gasoline and Oil Spills
Engine oil or gasoline can damage asphalt. Coal tar sealers prevent this harm because coal tars aren’t soluble in gas or oil. Polymers are commonly added to asphalt emulsion sealers to strengthen their resistance to gas or oil. Sealing minimizes the depth at which oil or gas can penetrate by filling surface gaps.
- Resists Ultraviolet Radiation
The sun’s UV rays destroy the bonds between carbon atoms in asphalt. Seal coat does not restore any existing asphalt damage, but it does prevent UV radiation from causing further damage to the pavement.
- Cleaning and Upkeep are Easier
Sealcoats cover surface voids while coating the pavement surface, resulting in a smooth and even texture that is easier to maintain year-round – snow is easier to remove from a smooth surface, and sweeping is more effective.
- Cost-effective in the Long-term
Crude oil costs fluctuate as supply changes and this always affect the price of asphalt concrete. Seal coating a parking lot with coal tar or asphalt emulsion every couple of years is less expensive than overlaying or laying a new lot.
Even though it has plenty of benefits, a sealcoat, like all pavement maintenance solutions, is only a temporary solution for preventing pavement deterioration. For it to be effective it must be done from time to time, at least once every 3 to 5 years depending on the condition of the pavement and the weather of the area.
Sunshine Services Can Help You with Road Maintenance Service in Broward County
When you hire professional road maintenance experts you get the finest of services minus the delay. Our road maintenance specialists assure you 100% expertise and results. Contact Sunshine Services today to book your consultation. For more information regarding road maintenance services you can call at (954) 737-4825 today.
