When reviewing the condition of parking lots and roadways in the spring, you may find debris, damage, or issues with drainage. These situations may require specific repairs or general asphalt maintenance to fix.
Here are some of our top spring tips for asphalt maintenance:
1. Clear Winter Debris
When the winter is over, you will likely find a large amount of debris leftover on your property and in your stormwater systems. This debris may include dead leaves, branches and twigs, and road salt and gravel.
It is important to clear snow debris in the spring to reduce its impact on your pavement and ensure it does not clog up your stormwater management systems.
2. Flush Catch Basins
After clearing up winter debris, you will want to flush the catch basins in your parking lot. Catch basins will often get silted up by road salt, gravel, and other snow debris, and this can prevent your parking lot from getting proper drainage.
Catch basin flushing requires a high pressure water source and is best performed by a professional. Our team of experts can provide flushing for catch basins as part of our annual maintenance plans. Learn more about catch basin flushing and other stormwater management practices here.
3. Fix Asphalt Cracks & Other Damages
If you have left a large snow pile or heavy equipment sitting on a specific part of your lot, it may cause damage to your asphalt over the course of the winter. The regular passage of vehicles, especially ploughs, can also cause damage.
It is very important to repair any asphalt cracks that you notice on your property in the spring. If left untreated, asphalt cracks may develop into potholes or other problems that will require significant and expensive repairs.
You should also look for damages to concrete stairwells, curbs, and water valves — these areas may be damaged by winter ploughs catching on protruding objects while clearing snow. These types of damage may be a liability concern on your property.
4. Repair Water Breaks
Underground pipes will sometimes freeze and break during the winter.
Burst or leaking water mains and fire mains can cause major damage to asphalt paving. It is essential to repair these breaks in the spring in order to avoid future damages.
How early can you lay asphalt?
Generally we will wait until late May to lay asphalt in Ontario. The Victoria Day long weekend is usually a good benchmark, although we may start earlier in some years.
Laying asphalt is very similar to planting — you need to wait for the frost to be out of the ground first to ensure that the surface will not shift due to expansion or contraction. If you lay asphalt too early, it may crack and this can lead to future problems with potholes and poor drainage.