WINTER WEATHER: 

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE IS KEY

Property maintenance is key in avoiding damage during the Winter season.As a property manager, you should be aware of weather-related circumstances that can cause damage your parking lot. For instance, hot and cold weather have different impacts on your parking lot’s asphalt, but since winter is approaching, let’s discuss how winter weather is bad for your asphalt parking lot. After reading this article, you’ll be better able to anticipate potential problems and avoid spending hundreds of dollars repairing your damaged parking lot, each winter.

There are a few different winter weather conditions that this article will cover; Ice, Rain and Hail.

 1.ICE

Ice is one of the more intense winter elements. Ice is slippery, it is dangerous, and in the case of black ice, you don’t even see it coming. Not only is this a hazardous for people driving in your parking lot, it can also lead to serious structural issues that can eventually require repaving. All this can be avoided with consistent property maintenance.

CRACKS

Asphalt cracks are a parking lot nightmare. Why? Asphalt contracts and expands in hot and cold weather, which leads to small cracks and weak spots. Cracks can also be formed over time from below ground surface due to the shifting of soils. What does ice have to do with all of this? As water seeps into the cracks in your parking lot pavement it freezes and expands, causing small cracks to become bigger and gradually lead to gaping holes, year after year. Without out consistent property maintenance, this becomes a huge expense. To avoid this issue, it is important to make sure that your parking lot has adequate drainage, and that you have a professional fill in the cracks as a preemptive measure.

ROCK SALT IS A DON’T

What is thought of as a common solution can only lead to more damage. If you throwing rock salt onto your walkways and parking lot pavement in order to remove slippery ice, stop now! Rock salt is one of the most damaging elements to pavement. It may get rid of ice fast, but it also lets water refreeze later on.  As water in your parking lot continuously freezes, melts, and refreezes, it seeps into the asphalt and actually starts to break away at it. If you have been salting areas of your parking lot, then you probably will notice more potholes and more wear and tear. That is why hiring a property maintenance company is helpful in making sure you take the correct steps.

2.RAIN

 Given California’s 2016/17 heavy amounts of rainfall, it is important to be prepared.

PUDDLES

During the rainy season harsh weather conditions can cause water to build up in your parking lots, leading to unwanted puddles. Puddles are not only an inconvenience but are extremely hazardous. They can be one of the biggest problems a property manager faces during the  rainy winter weather season. Not only is it inconvenient to park your car in a flooded, puddle-filled parking lot, but more importantly standing water can cause serious damage to asphalt surfaces.

POTHOLES

And with rain comes the evil pothole, every driver’s curse! Rain will wear down your parking lot and create small holes, which overtime only become bigger and bigger holes. Potholes cause damage to vehicles, and also serve as tripping hazards for pedestrians. It is extremely important to keep up with your property maintenance and fill any pot holes as soon as possible.

3.HAIL

Even though is rare in our area, it is still an important whether condition to be aware of as prepare to maintain your parking lot during the winter season.

EROSION

Think of a bunch of tiny hammers hitting pavement…that’s what hail is… worsening the effects of erosion, creating bigger potholes, and making even bigger cracks. If you live in an area where hail occurs, pay close attention to the look and feel of your parking lot surface. Make sure to take steps to maintain the surface and keep it free of potholes and large cracks.

Is winter weather tough on your parking lot? The answer is yes, it puts extra strain on the parking lot pavement and requires extra attention and diligent maintenance. The good news is a professional parking lot maintenance company, like Pro-Sweep, can assist you in devising a plan to help increase the longevity of you parking lot surface and ensure that you are offering a pleasant experience for visiting vehicles and pedestrians.