The Luxury of a Paved Surface

As a property manager, you know that preventative maintenance is important — apartment units need a routine maintenance and inspection schedule to ensure that problems don't get out of hand and become more expensive to fix.

Your apartment's parking lot deserves the same attention, and sealcoating is a way to help protect it. Asphalt sealing helps to protect the topmost layer of asphalt from the oil, water, and ultraviolet light, all of which will break down asphalt. To find out when it's definitely time to have your apartment's parking lot sealcoated, read on.

1. You Notice That Your Parking Lot Is Losing Its Top Layer of Aggregate

Apartment parking lots may not have heavy vehicles traveling over them frequently like roads, but they still suffer from a lot of wear and tear. When tenants back out of parking spaces, their wheels will slowly grind away the top layer of aggregate in your parking lot.

As asphalt becomes damaged by ultraviolet light, it begins to lose its ability to hold the aggregate together. Small bits of it will begin to break free from the asphalt as tenants turn their wheels against it. As you lose aggregate, your parking lot will begin to look rough and pitted.

Aggregate usually gets washed away by rainwater, so you'll notice it piling up wherever the rain on your property drains. When this starts to happen, it's time to sealcoat your parking lot.

In addition to protecting your parking lot from ultraviolet light and water, asphalt sealing also helps bind the aggregate together. It seeps into the surface of the parking lot and holds the aggregate in place. Sealcoating your parking lot will help prevent it from deteriorating due to losing its aggregate.

2. Your Parking Lot Is Starting to Turn Lighter in Color

When asphalt parking lots are first installed, they're a deep black color. Over time, a combination of discoloration and asphalt deterioration caused by ultraviolet light makes them lighter in color. Extremely old asphalt parking lots that haven't been maintained often have an ashen white appearance. Older parking lots have an unattractive appearance since it's a sign of disrepair.

Since sealcoating your apartment's parking lot puts a new layer of asphalt on top, it restores the original deep black color. When combined with new line striping, this makes your apartment's parking lot look much more attractive to potential tenants. It's a major boost in curb appeal that helps your complex stand out from your competitors in the area.

3. You Haven't Sealcoated Your Parking Lot for Five Years

Sealcoat doesn't last forever. Since it's an asphalt-based product, it's still vulnerable to ultraviolet light, which means that it will degrade over time. Because of this, you'll need to sealcoat your parking lot every three to five years.

How often you need to sealcoat your parking lot depends on factors like your area's average UV index and your parking lot's level of traffic. Thankfully, you can sealcoat as often as you need as long as the underlying asphalt is still in good condition. You'll help protect your parking lot from damage and restore its appearance every time you do.

If you've noticed that your apartment's parking lot is looking worn, contact a company in your area that performs asphalt sealing. The service is inexpensive, and it's a form of routine maintenance that keeps your parking lot in good condition.