jeudi 2 mai 2013

Preserve Your Drives And Parking Lots With A St. Louis Sealcoating Contractor

By Alison Wilcox


The ability of roads, driveways, parking lots and other surfaces made of asphaltic material to last for long largely depends on how they are designed, constructed, and maintained. Proper maintenance is a critical element for any asphaltic surface. A St. Louis Sealcoating contractors can assist in maintaining asphalt pavements so that they are not damaged by factors like weather changes.

A sealcoat provides a membrane, which protects the blacktop of a pavement surface. Blacktop is affected by factors like sun, water, and oil spills. Asphalt material cures slowly with time and through oxidation, it dries out and becomes inelastic. The ability of an asphaltic material to expand and contract determines how it can withstand the effects of sunlight and cold weather.

When sunrays heat asphalt material directly, it increases the oxidation rate of this material causing it to harden and dry. With accelerated oxidation rate, the asphaltic blacktop will prematurely fail. Development of cracks starts occurring and this eventually leads to penetration of water into the pavement. Water is another element that wrecks havoc on pavements.

When water percolates underneath pavements, it loosens the aggregate material. This can lead to crumbling of blacktop as heavy load turns over the roads. To prevent these untimely damages on roads, sealcoats are used to provide a membrane cover. Sealcoats act as shields against the effect caused by sun, water, oils, chemicals and salts on roads surfaces.

These cracks start letting in water and this causes more damage to your pavements. Water can collect under pavements and settle on aggregate material making it loose. As more water collects, this may cause the pavement to crumble down leading to extensive damages on your roads. You should not allow water to penetrate and settle beneath the blacktop as it will continue to wreck havoc on driveways, parking lots, and roads.

Potholes are easily formed in driveways and parking lots that have been invaded by water. These potholes are very costly to repair and they should not be allowed to occur. In addition, water can collect in cracks and freeze during the cold season. Through the freeze-thaw effect, the frozen water expands thus enlarging the cracks.

You can avert these costs by preserving the blacktop with sealcoats. Moreover, when water collects under the blacktop, it can freeze during the cold winter weather and a freeze-thaw effect can leave behind potholes that are costly to repair. Water expands when it freezes and this leads to enlargement of cracks. As that frozen water melts, it creates empty spaces underneath pavements. The blacktop material can collapse and fill the voids leading to formation of potholes.

With help of a St. Louis Sealcoating contractor, you are able to prevent damages that are caused by water, ultraviolet rays, oil spills, and other chemicals. These contractors can eliminate the premature damages that occur on driveways and parking lot pavements. You can save money and prolong the life expectancy of driveways, parking lots and other road surfaces. Sealcoating also improves the aesthetic value of these landscaping structures.




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