When choosing a material for your driveway, asphalt is a great choice. It is strong and sturdy and can last for many years with minimal maintenance. However, in order to get great longevity from your driveway, you have to care for it properly. Proper care means knowing and doing your best to avoid all of the things that can potentially cause harm to your driveway.
Too Much Sun Exposure
Asphalt driveways are, of course, going to be outdoors. As such, they will have some sun exposure.
When an excessive amount of UV light penetrates your driveway day in and day out, it can easily start to break down.
To avoid this, try to avoid putting your driveway in the path of direct sunlight whenever possible. If you cannot avoid that or even if you can, consider seal coating your driveway for an added layer of protection from the sun.
In fact, good seal coating can help protect even those driveways in the sunniest areas, so it is always a smart and worthwhile investment.
Long-Term Parking
Your driveway can hold a lot of weight. However, having to hold heavy weight for an extended period can cause faster wear and tear. In some cases, it may even lead to cracking or visible damage to your driveway.
The best way to avoid this kind of wear is to avoid parking vehicles, especially overly bulky or heavy ones, in one spot of the driveway for extended periods. A few hours is fine, but if you have a vehicle that you rarely drive and that hardly ever leaves its spot in your driveway, increased wear in that area is likely.
When possible, park the vehicle on the street near your home or in a garage, or move it regularly so that it does not constantly sit in the same place on the driveway.
Following these tips as much as possible will keep your driveway looking great and make it last for as long as possible.
Improper Installation
While asphalt driveways can be very strong and durable, they will not be if you start off with a bad batch of asphalt and/or bad initial installation.
If asphalt does not have proper mixing, it will be more prone to cracking, depressions, and other problems. Then, if qualified professionals do not do installation, you can experience even more problems and quicker wear and tear.
In order to avoid these issues, do your research and hire only the most qualified professionals who use quality, well-mixed asphalt to install your driveway. If your driveway has already been installed, you may need to look into professional options for replacing the asphalt, or, when possible, professionally strengthening and repairing it. A careful review of your driveway can determine the best course of action.
Water Exposure
One final issue to be aware of with your asphalt driveway is too much water exposure.
Asphalt driveways can handle normal exposure to rain and moisture. However, if the exposure becomes excessive, such as with flooding or a very heavy rainy season, you may want to have professionals look at it to determine how it is holding up.
Be especially wary if you have visible cracks in your driveway, since water can settle in these cracks and further weaken and damage the driveway. Try to fill or repair cracks as soon as they form to avoid worries like this one.
Protecting your asphalt driveway is very important. To ensure it has great protection or to get quality installation from the start, contact the experts at Arrow Blacktop & Masonry, Inc. We look forward to meeting all your asphalt driveway needs.
