Cost Savings of Sealcoating
Sealcoating is an economical and effective way to protect your asphalt pavement while simultaneously enhancing its appearance. Customers sometimes tell a sealcoating professional that they “can’t afford” sealcoating. The truth is that they cannot afford to skip sealcoating for their asphalt pavement. Maintaining your sealcoating can save you serious money over the life of your pavement.
What are the Savings?
The amount you can save by keeping your sealcoating in good condition depends on the size of the area, the amount and type of traffic it supports, how promptly cracks are repaired and other factors that are specific to your pavement. However, suppose you have a parking lot that is 10,000 square yards and has a life expectancy of 15 years based on its usage. Without sealcoating, you will need to start making repairs by the pavement’s second year of life, and you will probably need to have an overlay installed by its seventh year. If sealcoating is used in conjunction with timely repairs, your savings over the life of your pavement will exceed $100,000 and could be as much as $150,000.
Why is Sealcoating so Important?
To understand the importance of sealcoating, it might be beneficial to discuss the composition of asphalt pavement. It contains small stones called aggregates and other fillers that are cemented together by the asphalt. This makes asphalt pavement waterproof, flexible and durable, but it is not impervious to damage.
• Asphalt, gasoline, oil and most automotive fluids are all petroleum-based products. The chemicals contained in these products co-existed quite happily for millions of years, so when they come into contact with each other, they try to re-combine. This attempt breaks down the asphalt holding the pavement together. Sealcoating slows the penetration of automotive fluids, giving you more time to remove them before they reach the asphalt.
• Asphalt pavement relies on a stable base course to remain flexible and strong. Water entering through cracks, potholes or other breaks can erode the base. Although sealcoating cannot repair existing damage, it can help prevent these types of breaks from occurring.
• The sun’s rays can age asphalt pavement prematurely. UV rays can affect the pavement’s appearance, fading it from deep black to gray or brown. However, UV rays do more than alter the color of asphalt pavement. They dry it out and make it crumbly, leading to early failure of the pavement. Sealcoating screens out most of the harmful UV rays, protecting the integrity of the pavement while simultaneously restoring its beautiful color.
Affordable Striping & Sealing is a locally owned Las Vegas company specializing in the maintenance and repair of asphalt pavement. We provide sealcoating, pavement markings, crack repairs, traffic signs and many other asphalt-related services. Our goal is to give our customers the best quality of work at affordable rates.
Find out more information about Asphalt Parking Lot Maintenance Plan! We offer free quotes, so contact us today by filling out our online form or calling us at 702.222.9009.
