Can Hot Weather Conditions Affect Asphalt Sealcoating?
Asphalt sealcoating is an important part of pavement maintenance, and it’s something you should invest in every three to five years to keep your paving in great shape. But like all repair and maintenance tasks, you’re at the whims of Mother Nature. Good asphalt sealcoating weather is warm and dry. That’s why skilled contractors only perform asphalt sealcoating in Dallas during the spring and summer.
But what happens when you’re amidst a hot Texas heat wave? Can hot weather impede asphalt sealcoating?
What Is the Ideal Sealcoating Weather?
Sealcoating is a process that involves applying thin coats of asphalt emulsion sealer to every square foot of your pavement. Many different products are available for sealcoating, and manufacturers have their own recommendations for proper sealcoating weather conditions.
However, most will have clear warnings about applying the product in excessively cold or hot conditions. Typically, manufacturers recommend that ground and air temperatures be no lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. On the upper end of that scale, manufacturers recommend temperatures to be less than 90 degrees.
The ideal range is temperate climates of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Why Do Climate Conditions Matter?
Asphalt sealcoating in Dallas needs time to cure. The sealers used are viscous and spreadable. Before they provide the protection your asphalt needs, water must evaporate from the product to allow it to bond to your pavement. Therein lies the problem with poor asphalt sealcoating weather conditions!
The weather directly impacts how water evaporates, therefore impacting the curing process.
Excessively hot or cold conditions will interfere with how sealers bond. In addition to taking longer to cure, the product might encounter issues like delamination, peeling and more. Dallas asphalt sealcoating won’t protect your pavement from the elements without a full, steady cure.
Most asphalt emulsion sealer formulas need 24 to 48 hours to cure. In the meantime, you can’t use your pavement for pedestrian or vehicle traffic.
When Is It Too Hot for Dallas Asphalt Sealcoating?
The ideal sealcoating weather conditions are around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You start to encounter problems as ground and air temperatures approach 90 degrees. Beyond that, you can almost expect curing issues.
The problem with high temperatures is uneven curing. Asphalt sealcoating in Dallas should cure slowly from the bottom up. When temperatures are too hot, you can encounter flash curing. That occurs when the product touches the hot asphalt and cures way too fast. The sealer can’t seep into the asphalt’s pores, resulting in a poor bond.
The upper layers of sealcoating can also dry too fast. With the Texas heat beating down, the top can dry almost instantly, trapping wet sealant below. The dry top layer prevents evaporation, resulting in ugly tracking and a huge sealcoating mess.
What Other Forms of Weather Will Impact the Curing Process?
Another thing you must monitor when judging asphalt sealcoating weather conditions is humidity. Most sealer manufacturers recommend applying sealer when relative humidity is under 60 percent. At levels of 90 percent, curing will suffer.
The problem with humidity is that moisture has nowhere to go. This interrupts the evaporation process, lengthening cure times. The longer it takes for your Dallas asphalt sealcoating to cure, the more downtime your pavement requires, which could cause major disruptions for your business.
The best way to avoid weather-related problems is to hire an experienced sealcoating contractor. Let HI-TEK Paving Services be your go-to provider. We’re a full-service paving and maintenance company offering services like sealcoating, repairs, overlays, concrete installation, parking lot striping and more.
We know how to do things right. Our team uses the latest techniques and the best products on the market. We always consider sealcoating weather conditions before starting a project, ensuring optimal results.
Call HI-TEK Paving today at (214) 908-9641 for a free quote. You can also use our online contact form or email us at kevin@hi-tekpaving.com.