Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Protect Your Driveways With Asphalt Sealcoating

By Cornelia White


Proper maintenance of asphaltic pavements is essential if you have to prolong their lifespan. Asphaltic material is durable and lasts for many years. However, if preventive maintenance is not put into practice properly, it can give room for the asphaltic blacktop to deteriorate fast. Using asphalt sealcoating helps in preserving the quality of your asphaltic pavements. The coat helps protect the surface from effects of sunlight and rainwater.

Sunlight releases ultraviolet rays, which heat asphaltic material breaking it down. The molecular structure of asphaltic material is highly damaged by the ultraviolet rays. In order to prevent such damages, you have to protect the pavements. Ultraviolet rays increase the oxidation rate of asphalts leading to increased drying and unraveling of the material.

The color changes from the original jet black to grey and this occurs due to oxidizing process. The molecules oxidize with time as they seek for equilibrium state, which apparently is only achieved when the life of the product ends. When the oxidation process stops, it means an equilibrium state of the asphalt material has been attained and therefore the asphaltic blacktop cannot last anymore.

Moreover, water also causes damages on driveways and parking lot surfaces. The cracks may be caused by ultraviolet rays and effects of heavy traffic, something that allows water to enter inside the surface. The traffic moving over roads creates pressure, which may lead to shifting of blacktop material. If the material shifts, it forms cracks that allow water to enter.

The blacktop develops cracks because the material is unable to contract and expand evenly and uniformly. Sealcoat products offer a protective layer on pavements. The layer is weatherproof and prevents the damages caused by weather elements like rainwater and sunshine. When it is applied on top of blacktop, it prevents ultraviolet rays from reaching and heating the asphaltic material directly.

It may take several months or up to a year before the surface cures properly. It is only after this curing that you will apply the sealcoat. After the first coating, you will have to maintain a routine coating after every 2 to 5 years depending on how the previous coat performs and lasts. Using the coating also prevent damages caused by things like salts.

Transmission fluids and oil spillages on roads increase the oxidation process leading to premature damages of your pavement structures. In times of cold weather, when snow forms on surfaces of roads, de-icing salts are used to thaw and help remove it from roads. However, these salts are not good for the blacktop asphaltic material. They cause damages with time meaning you may have to deal with major repairs.

Applying sealcoats can prevent the driveways and parking lots from suffering potholes, alligatored cracks, upheavals, or other damages like fatigued cracks. With use of asphalt sealcoating products, you can enhance the quality of asphalt pavements and increase their lifespan. The coating forms a barrier at the top of pavements, which prevents water, salts, UV light, and gasoline products from causing damages on blacktop.




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