CRACKS HAPPEN

Cracks are almost inevitable where asphalt paving is present. Cracks can occur due to a variety factors like differential settlement and freeze/thaw cycles. You should not let them take over your parking lot. Your Parking Lot life span can be extended if you keep up with them.

Some cracks will be easy to fix while others won’t. The cracks that cannot be managed are those that result from structural fatigue in the pavement, fatigue or “alligator”. Also, any other cracks that can easily be fixed – if left untreated – could lead to increased structural fatigue. It’s important to maintain and seal any cracks that exist. You could risk cracks and water seepage from normal expansion or contraction of the parking area.

In, water turns to ice. It will expand by 9%, which is more than what it was when it was liquid. This opens up more opportunities for water infiltration.

All that water, together with the load stress, chemicals and sun’s ultraviolet light oxidation, accelerates alligator cracking. This is the sign of a parking-lot’s structural failure.

KEEP THEM SEALED

Water is the number one component of any parking lot maintenance program. It must not get into the asphalt’s base layers. That is where it is most likely that it will cause the most damage. Parking Lot Maintenance, LLC, (PLM), provides a tested and reliable method to seal cracks.

Initial Assessment

TYPES OF CRUCKS AND OPTIONS

Crack sealing can be used as a preventative maintenance measure. Not all cracks need to be sealed. However structural failures can cause cracks that require additional repair or replacement.

Crack assessment can be done in many ways. These include depth, widths, patterns, frequency, and so on. These factors will help the PLM manager decide the best material and method to use.

Hot Rubberized Crack sealing is the most common and efficient method. Hot rubberized crack sealer is more durable than cold applied sealers, which usually last between 1-2 years and 3-5 year. The proven method used by PLM to apply hot rubberized Cras sealer can be found below.

The Process

Step 1 Cleaning and Drying

Cracks that are not free of dirt and dust, asphalt fragments or oils will prevent the sealant from adhering properly to the surface. This can be achieved either via hot-air-lancing or routing.

PLM recommends that cracks be routed or cut through in almost all cases. This should be done at a depth equaling the crack’s width. The ideal ratio for sealing is 1:1. Routing creates a smooth, uniform surface that sealants can adhere to. It has been shown that hot air lance combined with routing is the best method to clean and dry cracks.

A hot-air lance can be used alone, for the best cost-benefit ratio. A hot-air lance combined with heat and compressed can produce a jet streamed high pressure blast with hot water that will clean and dry the crack. Combine heat with high-pressure air is clearly the key ingredient.

Step 2 is to Size It Up

Hot-air lancing and routing are not only used to clean and dry cracks, but they also aid in achieving the optimal width to thickness ratio. The best ratio is between 1 and 1. A lot of cracks will extend beyond one inch. As you can imagine, sealant performance begins decreasing as cracks grow. To prevent sealant material getting too far into cracks, a solid flexible filler called a backer rod is applied to large cracks.

Step 3 Heating the Sealer

Different brands of sealers might be used depending on project specifics. The PLM team applies hot rubberized cracksealer based on manufacturer’s guidelines. Manufacturer’s instructions will detail the requirements regarding temperature, mixing, and speed of application. The heater must be double-walled to ensure that the material heats evenly and is not scorched. The temperature of the properly heated rubberized sealing agent will range from 350 to 375 Fahrenheit when applied.

Step 4 Apply the Sealer

Now heat the hot rubberized Cracksealer material. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to clean the cracks and dry them again. To make sure that the crack doesn’t collect dirt or moisture too long, the PLM Team will clean, dry, and then apply.

The hot rubberized crackedsealer is applied by pumping it through a flexible hose fitted with an appropriate applicationnozzle. The nozzle allows you to apply the material within the crack. Before the material sets up, excess material is removed by a squeegee. This prevents any surface “edges” from developing, and the sealant remains flush with or below asphalt. The possibility of the sealant being chipped up by a snowplow or pulled-out from the crack due to the presence of an edge is real.

Most hot rubberized crackedsealing material will cure in approximately 15 to 30-minutes if it is applied according to manufacturer’s specifications – material temperatures and outside temperature. The PLM staff will protect the area while the cracksealer cures properly.

What’s Next?

CONSIDER A LONGTERM PARKINGLOT PLAN (PLMP).

Now that you have a properly sealed and protected parking area, it is time for you to look into a long-term Parking Lot Management Plan. By sealing the lot, the parking lot’s lifespan has been greatly extended. The life expectancy of the parking lot can be extended further.

As with any equipment or structure, roof or roof, it is essential to maintain it. A parking lot that is well maintained and planned will last longer and help reduce costs.

Parking Lot Maintenance has the experience and expertise necessary to devise a cost effective and convenient PLMP to suit your needs.

Parking Lot Maintenance specializes in asphalt parking lot maintenance. Our core services are asphalt repair, hot rubber crack seal sealing, seal coating, and line striping.