From April rain to July monsoons and beyond, our Southwest gets hit with sudden showers followed by dry heat. As refreshing as it may feel for us, our parking lots don’t always feel the same. Rain and puddles can do several things to your lot, along with typical wear and tear from use, it’s meant to stand up against the weather no matter what. Our region does face things that many don’t, and that’s the intense dry heat and sudden temperature changes. So what causes pavement to break apart, and what can you do about it?
Small Steps In Water
Puddles; they’re inconvenient and, in the wrong place, they can completely ruin your day. What many don’t realize is that puddles are the first step of a bigger problem. The longer they stay around, the more damage puddles can do. Anything from erosion, accidents, and extra wear and tear on your lot. When they start to become lakes instead of puddles, you’re going to have to repair or repave your parking lot a whole lot sooner, which means more expenses out of your company’s wallet.
What Causes Puddles?
Many puddles are caused over time due to low spots in the cement. Many of these weaker low spots are caused by large vehicles, corrosion from vehicle fluids, poor drainage, and poorly compacted asphalt.
Asphalt will contract and expand as the temperature fluctuates. With our Southwest temperatures, you can imagine how often this occurs. Asphalt will expand in high temperatures. You will start to notice cracks and potholes begin to develop. Pavement will become weak from UV rays, allowing water to seep into the foundation of your lot and start the damaging process. If you don’t have proper drainage in your lot, that’s when puddles begin to turn into lakes and begin the process.
What Can You Do About Puddles
So, what can you do to alleviate the stress of a puddle turning into a lake in your lot? It’s quite simple.
- Resurface Your Lot: This can be costly, but doing it now will save you money later. This is just to get you to start anew, or as a last resort so that you can be more mindful of your lot and it’s condition.
- Sealcoat Your Lot: Sealcoating will help protect your asphalt from water penetrating through due to UV rays. This will help prevent those early cracks and extend your lot’s life.
- Repair or Install Proper Drainage: If your lot’s drains are clogged or just not functioning correctly, get them checked out before they begin to create more puddles, more cracks, and cost more money.
- Keep It Clean: Removing trash and debris from your lot will help avoid build-ups that cause sitting puddles and help your drainage system run properly.
Luckily, Rick’s paving can help ensure that your lot stays as a top of the line parking experience. From repaving, new parking lots, seal coating, we can help take care of whatever your lot needs. Contact us today for quotes or any questions that you may have.
