Your car requires regular maintenance and oil changes, and the same is true with asphalt paving. If you want your investment to last, sealcoating requires the replenishment of surface oil every 3 to 5 years, depending on wear and tear. And much like with your vehicle, if regular maintenance is neglected, you may face more expensive repairs or even irreparable damage down the quickly crumbling road.

Pavement is a flexible surface. It becomes dried out by the sun, causing it to become oxidized and brittle, and making it prone to cracks under pressure, as well as expansion and contraction. A good quality sealcoat is a critical maintenance step that will extend the life of the pavement, returning lost flexibility to the asphalt and protecting it from its enemies: sun, water, and weight.

Last month’s Blitz shared information about how roads and parking lots have been affected by the boom in online shopping, with a tenfold increase in heavy vehicle traffic. More than ever, pavement maintenance is critical, as it is literally cracking under the pressure of these heavier delivery vehicles.

As the delivery trucks rumble, your unmaintained pavement will crumble!

Don’t wait. Plan early, long before sealcoat season, and schedule the job in the spring or early summer. During the busy months, good paving contractors’ schedules fill up quickly and your time-sensitive project could get pushed into the next season and may result in unnecessary, or worse—irreparable—damage.

It’s never too early to plan. And while you’re at it, check your car’s odometer too!