Follow These Tips to Extend the Life of Your Asphalt Driveway

December 14, 2020

Installing an asphalt driveway is a cost-effective way to improve your property value while giving you plenty of dedicated space to park your vehicles. While asphalt can last for up to 20 years before it needs to be replaced, it does require some TLC in the meantime.

This post from the best residential asphalt paving contractors in Montgomery County, MD will show you how to prolong your driveway’s lifespan and get the most out of your investment.

Sealcoat it

Sealcoating the surface is the best preventative measure for extending your driveway’s lifespan. Sealcoating protects your driveway from damaging motor oil and water, and it prevents the sun’s UV rays from fading its appearance. Experts recommend having your driveway sealcoated every three years, but it doesn’t hurt to sealcoat it more frequently. While sealcoating can theoretically be a DIY project, we advise hiring a professional to tackle it for you.

Keep it clean

Moisture often gets trapped under fallen leaves, which will damage the driveway after a while. To prevent that, put sweeping and clearing leaves and debris from your driveway on your to-do list. This simple chore will only take a few minutes of your time if done regularly, and it can save you big bucks on driveway repair.

Fill cracks

Fissures in your asphalt start small, but they’ll soon grow longer and wider. Keep an eye out for these cracks, and repair them with crack filler as soon as you can. Neglecting to do so will allow water to get into the cracks, where it may freeze and expand. This freezing and thawing cycle will crumble your driveway and necessitate major repairs or possibly replacement.

Watch for drainage problems

Poor drainage is a leading contributor to asphalt failure. The longer water sits on your pavement, the greater the chance it erodes the asphalt’s sublayer. When the sublayer erodes, you’ll need to replace your entire driveway. Call the best residential asphalt paving contractors in Montgomery County, MD to make repairs as soon as you notice frequent standing water on your pavement.

Avoid excessive loads

Parking RVs, boat trailers, tractors or other heavy vehicles on your asphalt is never a good idea. All of that excess weight can cause stress cracks and eventually lead to your pavement crumbling away. If possible, install another parking pad for your heavy vehicles to prevent driveway damage.

Hire qualified asphalt contractors

No amount of maintenance will prolong your driveway’s lifespan if you hire a cut-rate contractor to install it. Inexperienced or unskilled contractors might not go through all the proper steps to ensure your driveway has proper drainage or is installed correctly. Be sure your asphalt contractor has four- or five-star reviews online and plenty of references before you hire them.

We’re the go-to source for your asphalt needs!

Whether you’d like to install a new asphalt driveway or your current one needs to be sealcoated or repaired, call Maryland Asphalt LLC. Reach out to us today to find out why we’re rated as one of the best residential asphalt paving contractors in Montgomery County, MD!

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