Asphalt Maintenance and Upgrades Won’t Break the Bank

The end of the year is coming at us faster than an Anthony Mantha slapshot. (Go Wings!) Won’t be long now until it’s time to roll over the calendar, so you’re probably already thinking about projects for 2018 – and making sure you have the budget to get them done!

When it comes to property maintenance—something worthy of careful planning and budgeting all year long—a key consideration is any paved asphalt surfaces. No matter if we’re talking about your home, business, church, or school, there is at least some pavement that needs upkeep and should be factored into budgetary decisions.

A good starting point for working on your 2018 property budget is to evaluate the current condition of your driveway or parking lot. We’ll give you some pointers on what to check for in just a second, but keep in mind our team at Stripe A Lot can help you with this process. We provide completely free project estimates for the job you need – without trying to sell you on unnecessary services!

(Hey, we dislike dealing with pushy salespeople just as much you, so we don’t ever do that to you.)

If you want to start by evaluating your driveway or lot on your own, here are some things to keep your eye out for:

• Cracked sections that are starting to spread. This is an indication of a large-scale repair or resurfacing project later down the road, unless you take measures to fix the problem before it becomes a major headache.
• Cracks larger than 1/4-inch wide. If you’re seeing these, they need to be filled in the early spring. Taking care of this early will reduce the amount of water penetrating the asphalt surface next year – which would otherwise compromise the structure and integrity of the subbase.
• Potholes (or other large surface damage). Ideally, you will have already filled potholes in your driveway or parking lot before the cold weather hits. Now, if you’re reading this post when it’s posted—or shortly thereafter—it’s a little late in the game to handle these problems now. That being the case, add this to your 2018 projects list (earlier in the year!).

(If you have potholes that haven’t been fixed before we hit freezing temperatures, make sure you keep them in mind when salting your lot or driveway. This can at least lower the risk of someone slipping on ice from water that had filled them and frozen over.)

• Faded asphalt. Once spring rolls around, it’s time for a fresh sealcoating. This certainly enhances the appearance of your property, while at the same time protecting the paved surface from damage. Plus, this is something you want to keep in mind if you manage or own an apartment complex and have available units you want rented!
• Stains on the asphalt. We are always glad to handle your paving needs—ALL of your paving needs, since we’re the only company to provide comprehensive services in West Michigan—but there are do-it-yourself measures you can take to clean surface stains. Keeping your asphalt clean shows you take pride in your property and value customers, employees, parishioners, or guests.

After you’ve determined what needs to be done for your driveway or parking lot in 2018, it’s time to reach out to the pros!

As we noted earlier, our team here at Stripe A Lot will give you a completely free job estimate (without unnecessary pressure for things you don’t need). Even better, we provide comprehensive paving services. That means there’s no subcontracting or need for you to hire another company to do just a part of the job – we handle it all!

Call us today at 1-800-BLACKTOP (or 616-772-2559) for more information or to request an estimate for your 2018 asphalt projects!