5 Ways to Prepare Your Asphalt Parking Lots for Winter

Winter is just around the corner now. To avoid costly spring crack and pothole repairs to your parking lot, there are 5 important steps you can take now to protect your asphalt parking lots against winter’s worst:

1. Update the Sealcoating

If it’s been a couple of years since your parking lots’ last sealcoating appointment, schedule one now before the weather gets bad. Regular sealcoating fills small cracks so they don’t become big ones, protects the asphalt from harsh winter weather and also improves heat retention that can speed snow and ice melting.

2. Get Cracks Filled

If your parking lot has developed some larger cracks that sealcoating won’t fix, have them filled today to keep water from infiltrating the subbase over the winter.

3. Schedule a Reputable Snow-Removal Team

Ask other business owners about their snow-removal crew and find one that gets good results without doing damage to curbs and other features. Ask about their ice melt chemicals too—you want to avoid ammonium-based snow melt and opt for calcium-based ones; they’re easier on the environment and your asphalt.

4. Clean Up the Parking Lot

Schedule a sweeper to remove all debris like sticks, rocks, dirt and spills from the asphalt’s surface. Leaving them all winter can damage the surface, particularly when the snowplows come through.

5. Check Drainage Systems

Make sure all gutters and drains are clear and in good shape before winter so that big rainstorms and sudden winter snowmelt can drain off the asphalt quickly and efficiently.

If your parking lots need help with winter prep, contact Espina Paving at (703) 491-9100 today!