By Chelsea Ellis-Hogan
When maintaining your asphalt surface there are steps you can take to create longer lasting product life. Sealcoating is one of the most important things to routinely do to your surface to improve its lifespan. Think of it like an oil change for our car, how we have to clean our gutters and maintain the lawn. It’s a shield between the suns UV rays and the asphalt. I will share a few things to remember once you’ve completed the sealcoating process.
Allow to Dry
The asphalt sealer and crack fill must have time to dry and cure. Similar to interior painting, it takes time, and you will have to avoid touching the surface. Keep cars off of the surface for 48+ hours. We recommend not walking on the surface until the sealer is dry to the touch. Normally that can take between 12-24 hours. With asphalt sealer it can take up to 30 days for the sealer to cure, so we recommend not cutting your tires quickly on the driveway to avoid tire marks. It is recommended to seal when weather is above 50 degrees to allow the sealer to dry properly. If you seal during a time that is too cold, the sealer will not cure and can possibly track.
Routine Clean
We recommend if dirt, debris and leaves get on the surface, clear them off in order to help make the product last longer. The more dirt and rock settles, the more it can wear the sealer down when driving over the surface. This also makes it easier for the asphalt maintenance company to routinely seal the driveway. If the surface is clean every time that you sealcoat, the sealer truly sticks to the surface. If when cleaning you notice the driveway has areas that stay dirty, it’s likely due to low or unleveled areas that possibly need repair. If leaves, twigs and things such as that fall on the surface, you can simply spray them off with water, blow them off, etc.
Winter Time Maintenance
During the winter time you want to avoid using products such as salt melt on snow or ice, because it can eat through the surface. Sealer helps melt the snow since black hues attracts sunlight. When using snow plows on commercial properties, we recommend knowing where speed bumps and humps are located due to they can damage surfaces.
What to Do Next
Your asphalt can last decades if you routinely maintain it. For example, we have customers who have used our services over 20-30 years maintaining the SAME surface. Our recommendation is to build a relationship with an asphalt company you like and trust. Make sure you sealcoat your residential driveway every 2-3 years and commercial property every 3-5 years. A great thing to think about when scheduling driveway maintenance is if your neighbors would like the service too. A lot of companies and customers agree that doing a lot of driveways in one neighborhood is definitely an affordable way to maintain your surface and stay on schedule.
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