Water is the greatest enemy of pavement. It tears apart the pavement, causes cracks, and generally remains the eternal nuisance for safe and pothole-free roadways and parking lots. The answer to the ever-present force of water is the sealant. Sealant protects the parking lot and pavement surface from further increased degradation and generally helps keep it up to shape.
But, it isn’t that simple. Of course, degradation and erosion still occur. Over time, the pavement is still damaged and eroded, and all the sealant in the world cannot stop that. What is causing this steady erosion, and what is the answer?
Water Has Friends
If water is the ultimate culprit, what is helping it along the way? One of the biggest problems in this regard is sunlight. Sunlight actually breaks down the tar. The tar is what helps keep the pavement sealed. When the tar breaks down, the water has more entry points.
Another issue is salt from trucks that are placed on pavement almost continuously during the winter season. Not only is pavement facing intense cold and snow, but it is facing salt that breaks down the snow only to bury into the pavement. Neither source is really helping the pavement, although it keeps the roads safer in the short-term.
The Weight of Weight
There is also the force of heavy vehicles, particularly trucks, which damage the integrity of the pavement. If there was no sunlight (like Seattle) and no snow (like Florida) pavement would still break down because of pressure and weight. Clients would require exterior contractors in Madison WI regardless. Get more information on the website.
There is no simple answer but one- stay on top of it. Work with Exterior Contractors in Madison WI to continually restore the pavement area to top form because erosion and damage will occur. As long as the pavement is outside, it is inevitable. Periodic reviews and seal applications will go extremely far in deterring any further growth and exploitation. The above forces will always be there. It is up to a commercial property owner to make sure they are doing what they can. If they are not doing it for cosmetic reasons, they should be doing it for legal reasons. It is the legal ramification (a lawsuit) that bites harder than any bump on the road.
