Part of being a responsible business owner is ensuring that your building and parking areas are clean and well-maintained. Fixing potholes and other damage is important for a few reasons: you’ll lower the risk of lawsuits, you’ll prevent bigger problems in the future, and your property will look more professional and inviting to potential customers. Below, you will learn some of the options available for parking lot repair and maintenance Columbus.
Hot Mix/Cold Mix
The least intrusive and cheapest option for parking lot repair and maintenance in Columbus is to fill holes with ‘hot mix’ asphalt, ensuring that the edges are sealed to prevent water intrusion. Hot mix is a temporary fix, with durability dependent upon level of use. In colder months when no hot mix is available, cold mix can be used. It does not last as long as the hot mix variety, but it will hold until spring when longer-lasting repairs can be done.
Patching the Surface
Patching a damaged area involves the installation of 1-2″ of asphalt in the parking lot’s failing areas. The job is done in a similar fashion to resurfacing, but on a much smaller scale. The patch is applied with an asphalt paver, and then compacted. Patched repairs are best for parking lots which are cracking, not crumbling.
Surface patching will prevent water from getting any further into the asphalt, but it is best regarded as a temporary fix. The patch’s edges are tapered, but still
vulnerable to daily wear and tear from traffic.
Partial Depth Repairs
These repairs involve the removal of the top two inches of asphalt, replacement of that asphalt and sealing of the edges. Partial depth repairs are more expensive than surface patches, but are less costly than full depth repairs. These are only practical when the damage exists only in the top layer of asphalt.
Full Depth Repairs
These are necessary in parking lots which can’t be fixed with any of the other techniques described above. The job entails the removal of all asphalt down to the sub-base; if that is defective, the ground will be undercut until a base can be reached. Aggregate materials are installed, and the asphalt is replaced.
There are many reasons for a parking lot to fail, and some cannot be avoided. However, the need for full-depth repairs can be reduced. Parking Lot Repair And Maintenance Columbus can help to catch small problems before they become bigger ones.
