You're getting ready for winter--but are you getting your parking lot ready, too? The truth is that winter is one of the biggest challenges that a parking lot faces, and without a good maintenance plan, the cold Boise weather can put a lot of stress on the asphalt, and, eventually, maybe even your budget.

The Importance of Maintenance

Any pavement expert can tell you that it's crucial to protect what you have now instead of paying to replace it later. The truth is that parking lot maintenance is painless and, once you establish a regular schedule, it will quickly become an easy habit--one that saves you a lot of money in the long run. It is cheaper, easier, and less stressful to take care of your pavement because a little maintenance now can save you from a huge replacement job in the future. However, when it comes to Boise winters, parking lot maintenance gets a little more complicated. Our winter pavement care experts know just what to do.

Your Mission

It's your mission to protect your parking lot from winter conditions. That may sound like a big job, but with some expert advice and some backup from our professionals, you'll be establishing a regular maintenance schedule that stands up to everything--even a cold Boise winter!

Materials: The first step is preparation. Don't wait until the last minute: figure out what you'll need beforehand, and then stock up and make sure that it's readily available throughout the winter months. The first things on the list are usually salt, deicers, and scrapers--but don't forget the warm clothing to keep you comfortable while you're taking care of your parking lot! Plan B: It's always smart to have a Plan B, and that's especially true when it comes to snow removal. Make sure your snow removal vehicles are clean and ready to go--or if you don't have access to those, make sure you have an ally in snow removal. Experts: Sometimes, you just need to call in the experts. This is a crucial part of your parking lot maintenance plan because if you find yourself in need of help, it needs to come fast to minimize damage or risk of further issues. This is especially true in winter. With plow trucks, expert snow removal, 24/7 service, and sanding trucks, our team is always ready to go.

If you are a business owner, you might be in need of a parking lot or simply re-paving it in order to keep things looking good and your customers happy. It is an important part of your physical first impression, not to mention the functional aspects. Before you start on your journey to find the best plan for paving your parking lot, consider these main budget points that could save you some headache down the road.

Your Needs/Pavement Life

If you are re-doing your pavement, how old is it now? Most well-maintained parking lots can last around twenty years, but it is wise to budget for routine maintenance for highly traveled areas. The more maintenance you do, the more chance you have of extending the life of your entire parking lot. This will prove cost-effective for your business.

Most Common Damages

If you were to survey your parking lot right now, what would you see? What kinds of damage might you find? It is helpful, often, to know the terminology and what to look for in your parking lot. Here are some common types of damage that you may see:

Cracks Faded asphalt Alligatoring Potholes or other surface damage

There are different ways to approach each of these types of damage, and this brings us to our final consideration which could help your budget.

Get Professional Advice

Whether you are resurfacing, filling potholes, or repaving the whole parking lot, professional help saves you headaches. We want to help ensure that your parking lot looks great and your budget is respected. To hear more about the ways we could assist in making your parking lot look its best, just contact us!

From the moment we first get our license, it's all about the car. We focus on make and model and passengers and insurance, and, most importantly, how to stay safe with all of the other cars surrounding us. We obsess over the perfect paint-job and envy those who speed past us in gorgeous sports cars. It's true: driving is a big part of our lives, but it can't be all about the car. The road, too, deserves a fair portion of our attention—after all, it is this silent, snaking path of asphalt, dressed up in stripes of white and yellow, that keeps us safe and gets us where we need to go. That's why we have to protect the road, and sealcoating is just what the doctor ordered.

Seal Coating

Seal coating is a great way to protect roads, driveways, and parking lots. It's a preventative measure, not solving problems so much as minimizing the chance that they'll happen in the first place, and that's why seal coating is such a crucial part of road care. Asphalt is extremely susceptible to weather, age, heavy traffic demand, and other everyday hazards. As a result, sealcoating can be a smart and cost-efficient way to protect the road for years to come.

The Benefits

The benefits of seal coating are numerous, effective, and proactive. Take a look at what seal coating could do for your road, driveway, or parking lot!

Coating. As its name suggests, seal coating offers a strong, protective coating to the asphalt. This helps seal small cracks and prevent them from growing into big problems. It also strengthens the existing asphalt, defending the top layer from numerous everyday hazards, and acts as a shield from exposure to potentially harming aspects of the environment and road conditions. Waterproofing. Seal coating also helps make asphalt waterproof, providing a leak-free barrier between the road and the elements. That means that water can't seep down to the base material and cause costly issues. Smoothing. Putting a seal coat on a road, driveway or parking lot will ensure that the asphalt is better in both performance and cosmetic appearance. The seal coat acts to smooth, level, and color-match the asphalt—and it improves safety by making road lines more visible to drivers. Cost reduction. Using a seal coat is much less expensive than replacing damaged asphalt. Cleaning costs, upkeep, and repair are just a few places where a seal coat will save you money and hassle. A seal coat now means fewer bank-breaking issues later.

Compared to some other places across the nation and the world, we here in Idaho have it fairly easy. Our winters aren't nearly as severe as they could be. However, to your asphalt, Idaho winters are still a huge risk--and a little bit of preparation now can keep big, expensive problems from arising later.

Winter Woes

Winter can be hard on your asphalt. It's not just about severe weather conditions and long-standing piles of snow; this is a time for existing problems to get even worse, so if you didn't notice them before the winter, you're sure to notice them once the spring arrives. Existing weaknesses in your asphalt become even more of a hazard during the winter because there are lots of new challenges--like snowplows and drainage issues--that can aggravate even the smallest issues. Protecting the asphalt you have now is a lot less expensive than replacing it later!

How to Protect the Asphalt

Idaho winters are no match for our pavement experts. Here's a quick look at what you need to know about protecting your asphalt this winter!

Repairs. Remember, a small issue now will be a huge issue after months of snow and ice. This is the best time to survey your asphalt and see if there are any cracks or potholes because these are prime problem areas when it comes to water draining down, freezing, melting, and freezing again--which is a hazard to your asphalt. Snowplows. Idaho winters aren't always predictable. Sometimes we have too much snow, and sometimes we have none--but since Mother Nature doesn't give us an exact warning, it's always best to prepare in case you'll need a snowplow. Place markers around any curbs or corners in your asphalt, and hire a reliable plowing company. Drainage. Standing water is never a good thing for asphalt, but in the winter, standing water quickly becomes standing ice--and that's just as bad for people and cars as it is for the pavement! It's a good idea to get a head start and check the drainage systems early, so you can rely on quick and efficient water removal this winter.

If you have an asphalt driveway in front of your Idaho business, it's important to know the ins and outs of crack filling and repair. The fact of the matter is, even with proper installation and regular maintenance, you'll eventually have cracks in your asphalt. These cracks will need to be filled professionally and quickly to prevent further damage.

Why Fill Cracks?

You may wonder whether it's necessary to fill the cracks in your asphalt. It's crucial to maintain your asphalt correctly, especially with crack filling. Water can leak into cracks, causing your entire asphalt base to weaken and eventually fail. When you fix cracks in your asphalt, you're lengthening its lifespan.

How Are Cracks Filled?

Asphalt crack filling can be accomplished in a few different ways, all dependent upon what kind of crack you're dealing with. Size and depth of cracks factors into what method your pavement repair company may choose.

Hot asphalt: For large cracks—with a width of 1 or more—your pavement specialist will likely choose a hot asphalt mix for repair. After cleaning the crack thoroughly, your repair specialist will fill it with a fine asphalt mix and compact it with a vibratory plate.

Hot rubber fill: Smaller cracks can be filled with hot rubberized fill material and then slurry sealed.

Cold pour fill: Cold pour fill tends to have better adherence to asphalt and is sometimes a preferred method to hot rubberized fill for smaller cracks.

Keep in mind that crack fill is never permanent. Although it will improve the look, durability, and longevity of your asphalt, crack fill is a continual process as your asphalt expands and breaks down naturally. If you're in need of asphalt maintenance of any kind, contact us today.