If you are responsible for maintaining an aspahlt surface, such as an asphalt driveway, parking lot or school blacktop, sealcoating in Columbus is a term that you should familiarize yourself with. Unfortunately, many people have no idea what this term means and why it is important to know. If this is the first time you are hearing this term, you may have some questions about it. Here are three frequently asked questions about this topic.
What is Sealcoating?
A sealcoat is a clear product that is placed on top of asphalt, to seal its pores. A sealcoat should be applied immediately after a new asphalt surface has dried and cured, and then reapplied when the seal begins to wear, typically once every two to five years.
Why is Sealcoating in Columbus Important?
Sealcoating fills in asphalt’s natural pores. When pores are present, they will absorb water and moisture. When this happens, the asphalt expands, much in the same way a dry sponge does as it absorbs water. This can lead to cracks, pot holes and other damaged caused by the hard surface expanding. Sealing the pores helps prevent this from happening, which in turn, helps your asphalt surface last longer.
How Do I Know When it is Time to Reapply Sealcoating?
Sealcoating has to be reapplied to asphalt as the sealcoat wears off. Unfortunately, the amount of time it takes to wears varies on many factors, such as weather conditions, the amount of traffic the surface is exposed to, and the type of seal that was used in the first place. As such, you have to test the sealcoat to determine if it is worn or not. The easiest way to do this is to pour a small amount of water onto the asphalt. If the asphalt absorbs the water, the sealcoat needs to be reapplied. If the water puddles, the sealcoat is doing its job. Always test in various places, as the coating can unevenly based on traffic patterns.
If you need to have your surface sealcoated for the first time, or simply need to have it reapplied, contact sealcoating in Columbus.
