There are over 2.27 million miles of paved roads in the United States. While this is impressive, what’s even more impressive is that an estimated 94% of them are surfaced with asphalt. While many people don’t give asphalt much of a second thought, imagine what the modern world would be like without this material!
Asphalt is an affordable and recyclable material, but it’s also porous and easily damaged. This is where asphalt sealcoating comes in.
If you’ve ever wondered why asphalt sealcoating is so important, you’re in the right place. Keep reading to learn about some of the biggest benefits it offers.
What Is Sealcoating?
Before diving into the specific benefits of asphalt sealcoating, you need to know what it is. Sealcoating is a thin, liquid layer that’s adhered to a paved surface. The purpose is to protect asphalt from damage caused by fluids leaked out of vehicles, snow, rain, and UV rays.
While sealcoating won’t fix existing issues, such as cracks, it can help prevent this damage from occurring, to begin with. Besides protecting the asphalt from potentially damaging elements, sealcoating can help to extend the life of asphalt paving.
Benefits of Asphalt Sealcoating
Now that you understand what asphalt sealcoating is, it’s time to dive into some benefits it offers. Keep reading to learn what these are.
Protection From the Sun
One of the most common images of an asphalt road today is a long desert highway with the sun shining down. In these images, you usually see a road that’s faded and cracked.
Unfortunately, this is what can happen to any asphalt surface, from roads and driveways, to parking lots and more, if it isn’t protected from the sun. Ultraviolet light can break down many things, and the aggregate and binders found in asphalt are no exception to this.
With sealcoating, the asphalt has a protective layer that’ll prevent damage from UV rays. What this means is that the asphalt will last much longer than it would without sealcoating.
Maintain the Asphalt’s Appearance
Your parking lot or business driveway is where cars park and how people get to your store or office. If you don’t maintain it, it may have a negative effect on your store’s or commercial property’s appearance.
Any asphalt surface is prone to fading, cracking, and showing other signs of distress. This isn’t appealing to anyone. Sometimes, serious cracks in the asphalt can cause an accident.
The sealcoat will sit on the surface of the asphalt and act as a barrier. The deep black color of sealcoating gives off the appearance of strength and durability. With this barrier in place, water, the sun, car fluids, salt, and other chemicals won’t be able to impact the asphalt.
It also prevents weeds from growing too.
It Can Help You Save Money
Sealcoating is something you can hire the professionals to do. You can schedule this service after hours or on the weekend to ensure it doesn’t impact your customers.
Use the services of a pro, as they’ll know the right materials and how to ensure the sealcoating is applied properly. If you attempt a DIY job, you may be disappointed with the results.
Provides Protection Against Moisture
If you’re like many people, you don’t really think about how much damage water can cause. Unfortunately, asphalt isn’t the exception to this rule, especially if you live in an area where freezing temperatures occur.
Moisture can get under the asphalt and the expansion of water as it freezes and becomes ice can cause cracking. This will disrupt the integrity of the surface and may result in potholes or other problems.
Even if freezing isn’t an issue, water may erode asphalt when it rains a lot. If there’s a total washout, you may lose the underlying base gravel and rock. This can cause significant damage in a very short period of time.
Sealcoating Provides Asphalt Longevity
Just like anything else, asphalt has a finite lifespan. It will weather faster than concrete, and it’s much more prone to damage from the elements and the vehicles that use it.
When applied properly, sealcoating can help to extend the lifespan of your asphalt surfaces. Your asphalt parking lot, road, or driveway will last much longer after it’s sealed than it would without the sealcoating. It’ll also help prevent damage that may naturally occur over time.
It Keeps Your Asphalt Black
In the past, you’ve probably seen a sun-faded road or two. Even if there isn’t much damage, many people don’t like the look of faded asphalt.
With sealcoating, you can ensure your asphalt maintains its aesthetic much longer than it would without this layer. Even if your asphalt surface is older, it’ll still look like asphalt, rather than dusty concrete.
Investing in Asphalt Sealcoating Just Makes Sense
As you can see, from all the benefits mentioned here, asphalt sealcoating makes sense. By investing in this layer of protection, you can have an asphalt surface that looks great for longer, and it isn’t easily damaged.
If you’re ready to invest in sealcoating services, contact our team today. We are asphalt pros and can help with an array of asphalt needs, from sealcoating to paving, snow removal, parking lot striping, and more. Let us ensure your asphalt looks and performs like it should, now and in the future.
