How Asphalt Sealcoating Saves Money for Lowcountry Businesses

Business and commercial property owners face growing maintenance costs for their Lowcountry commercial properties. If you’re looking for ways to reduce costs without impacting the value and appearance of your property, you need a maintenance strategy focused on prevention. Here we look at the cost savings of pavement sealcoating as part of a comprehensive preventative maintenance plan.

What is Pavement Sealcoating?

Sealcoating protects pavement against the elements, vehicle fluid leaks, and other environmental factors. A thin coating layer is applied to the pavement to extend the life of the asphalt and prevent damage, such as cracking, that ruins the integrity of your parking lot, walkways, and other exterior surfaces. To apply the coating, the asphalt surface is cleared of all dirt, debris, and harmful residue leaked by vehicles. A thorough job also includes filling cracks before the liquid coating is applied via spray or squeegee.

How Often is Pavement Sealcoating Required?

Sealcoating is recommended at least every two years for high-traffic areas such as parking lots where exposure to vehicle fluid leaks is common and three years for areas such as walkways.

Pavement Sealcoating as a Preventative Measure

As the saying goes, prevention is worth a pound of cure. Sealcoating protects your asphalt surfaces from damage caused by water, UV rays, vehicle fluids, and the elements. It protects pavement by filling minimal surface damage, prolonging the life expectancy, improving durability, and preventing expensive damage from occurring over time.

Pavement Sealcoating Extends Pavement Lifespan

As part of a preventative maintenance plan, sealcoating can help extend the life of your paved surfaces by as much as 20 years. The key is to ensure you begin your pavement maintenance within the first 12 to 18 months of laying the pavement and continue care using a sealcoating schedule every two to three years. That said, it’s never too late to call in the experts to assess your asphalt and recommend proper treatments.

Use Pavement Sealcoating to Reduce Maintenance Needs

Pavement sealcoating protects your asphalt surfaces from damage, reducing maintenance needs and saving the cost of repairs for common pavement damage, including:

• Vehicle leaks: Vehicles leak damaging liquids from exhaust pipes, oil pans, gas reservoirs, etc. These liquids are highly corrosive, eating away at your unprotected asphalt. Sealcoating provides a shield against contaminants that cause cracks that allow the chemicals to reach the vulnerable substrate layers of the asphalt. When this happens, asphalt replacement is required.
• Water: Water is a common enemy of exterior surfaces, causing deterioration that erodes the foundation of sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots. Sealcoating waterproofs pavement, sealing cracks to prevent water from reaching the foundation.
• Sun: Ultraviolet rays create oxidation, a chemical reaction that causes asphalt binders to break down and the colors to fade. When this happens, the asphalt deteriorates quickly. Sealcoating protects against UV rays to slow down the aging process.
• Cracking: Sealcoating helps asphalt maintain its flexibility to prevent cracking. Smoother pavement resists wear and tear while supporting vehicles’ weight more effectively.

Pavement Sealcoating Enhances Curb Appeal and Value

Sealcoating maintains a unified look for pavement creating a more appealing color and reduced signs of aging. As a business owner, you want to send the right signals to customers or tenants, showing them that keeping up appearances is important to you. Commercial property investments also maintain their value with a well-maintained exterior. You reduce visible wear and tear to send the right message that you take care of your property and take pride in contributing to the welcoming appearance of your community.

Proper Pavement Maintenance Improves Safety And Reduces Liability

Damaged pavement presents a higher risk of accidents on your property. Potholes, cracks, and uneven surfaces can result in trips and falls and costly lawsuits. Even if you have property insurance, a lawsuit loss will result in increased premiums. Uneven, damaged surfaces also increase the risk of vehicle damage and accidents. Asphalt damage makes it difficult to decipher parking lot spaces, safe areas for traffic, pedestrian walkways, etc., which can lead to collisions and vehicle damage due to unsafe parking distances.
Although it might seem sealcoating requires further maintenance investment, it saves money on repairs and prolongs the life of your asphalt surfaces. This makes it a worthwhile investment with impressive returns realized over time.

Consulting with a sealcoating service in Lowcountry ensures you are taking the proper preventative measures to reduce the costs of exterior property maintenance. EverLine Coatings makes that easy with asphalt repair you can count on. If you need asphalt repair, reach out to us today!