Since an asphalt pavement can potentially last for several decades, not many people deal with new asphalt paving project on a regular basis. Often, years can pass between projects. Therefore, they may forget what they should and should not do while the pavement is new. Although lifelong care is important, the attention a pavement receives during its first year can be crucial to its longevity.
What Should I Not Do After My Contractor Completes My Asphalt Paving Project?
You should always defer to the specific instructions that your Dallas paving company should provide you with at the time of the installation. Typically, however, a Dallas paving contractor will advise you against doing the following things.
1. Do not open your pavement to traffic any sooner than your asphalt company tells you. Normally, asphalt paving in Dallas TX is ready for traffic within 24 hours. However, depending on the weather and the thickness of your asphalt, you may need to wait 48 hours or more.
2. Do not apply sealcoating immediately. Typically, a parking lot paving company in Dallas will recommend waiting at least three months before sealcoating. This is to give the asphalt time to exhaust its surplus oil. Your paving contractor should tell you how long to wait. If not, you can ask a reputable asphalt maintenance contractor to conduct a simple test to determine whether your pavement is ready.
3. Do not leave stationary loads on your new pavement, especially during the summer. Drivers should move their cars to a new spot at least every two days. Rotate pallets of heavy materials, trailers, or campers on a similar schedule.
4. Do not let weeds or grass grow along the edges of your new pavement. Plants can take root in the pores of your asphalt, so pull them up or use a weed killer.
5. Do not ignore any cracks or other flaws in your new pavement. A hairline crack or two will probably not be a problem. However, if you notice anything more significant, contact your asphalt company immediately.
What Should I Do After My Contractor Completes My Asphalt Paving Project?
Paving in Dallas TX can often suffer from various types of abuse. It is important to remember that your new pavement is at its most vulnerable for its first year or so.
1. Do keep your pavement clean. Remove trash, dead vegetation, and oil spills promptly.
2. Do enforce load limits. Your asphalt paving company designed your pavement to support vehicles weighing within a certain range. If you allow heavier vehicles to use your pavement, they can tear it up, especially during its first few months.
3. Do sealcoat your pavement as soon as your asphalt maintenance contractor tells you that it is ready for sealcoating. After the initial application, plan to sealcoat your pavement about every two or three years.
4. Do be gentle with your new pavement, and encourage your tenants or employees to do the same. Enforce speed limits, post signs warning against unnecessary hard stops or accelerations, or install speed bumps. Warn drivers to avoid turning their steering wheels if their vehicles are stationary.
5. Do use a safe product to melt ice or snow. If you allow snow or ice to linger on your pavement, water can get into the pores of the asphalt paving. If that water freezes in the pores, it can cause cracks or potholes. Ask a reputable paving contractor in Dallas TX to recommend a product that is safe for asphalt pavements.
HI-TEK Paving is a Dallas-based asphalt paving company and can provide you with the right solutions at the right price. We serve residential and commercial clients throughout the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. Our services include asphalt repairs, asphalt paving and overlays, asphalt crack repairs, sealcoating, parking lot maintenance, concrete repairs, parking lot striping, and concrete installation. We have an exceptional reputation for superior customer service and extraordinary workmanship. For a free quote, you can fill in our online request form, or you can call us at 214-908-9641.