It takes 7 seconds for people to form a first impression of your business. That doesn’t give you a lot of time to be impressive.
Talk to any real estate agent and they will tell you about the importance of curb appeal when selling a property. The same is true for your business. you might not be looking for someone to buy your business, but you do want to attract customers to buy your products.
As soon as your customers drive up to your location, they’re already forming their first impressions. Sealcoating your paved parking lot is an excellent way to keep up your curb appeal and make a positive impression.
Let’s look at several benefits of sealcoating your parking lot.
1. Water-Resistant
Asphalt is a durable and long-lasting substance. That’s why it is popular for roads, parking lots, driveways, and more.
However, water is a big enemy.
Asphalt is a porous material. This means that moisture can get down inside the asphalt. When it does, this speeds up degradation and deterioration of the pavement.
In the winter months, this is further exacerbated by freezing temperatures. If you remember back to high school science class, water expands as it freezes.
So when the temperature drops, any moisture that is trapped in the asphalt can freeze and expand, causing cracks and damage to the asphalt.
Sealcoating the asphalt will diminish this effect significantly. The sealant protects the asphalt by creating a barrier that water can’t penetrate.
Snow and ice sitting on top of the asphalt can also cause problems. Not only can it be dangerous by causing cars to slide out of control, but also having water sitting on top of it constantly exacerbates the water exposure problem.
Sealcoating helps make snow and ice melt faster — protecting both your pavement and your customers and their vehicles.
2. Oxidation-Resistant
Water isn’t the only danger that asphalt faces. The sun is another element that your asphalt parking lot will face daily that can cause damage.
Asphalt contains a mix of oils that keep it supple and helps it maintain its flexibility. Constant sun exposure can dry out these oils, in essence, “baking” the asphalt.
At first, as the asphalt dries out it may simply be more prone to cracking. Eventually, the material will become so brittle and weak that it can begin to crumble away.
Obviously, that type of disrepair isn’t the kind of impression you want to make on your customers!
Sealcoating helps slow the evaporation of the oils and keeps the asphalt “hydrated” for a longer period of time.
3. Chemical-Resistant
Asphalt is also exposed to a number of different chemicals. Cars can leak a variety of fluids including oil, gas, antifreeze, brake fluid, and more.
Just like water, these liquids can seep down into the porous asphalt. Depending on the substance they can cause even more damage than plain old water.
When you sealcoat asphalt, the same barrier that inhibits water from getting down into the pavement keeps these other liquids and chemicals out and minimizes the damage they can cause.
4. Replace Asphalt Less Frequently
What do the first three benefits we’ve talked about mean for your parking lot? Simple. You won’t have to repave it as frequently.
Though asphalt is durable and long-lasting, if you want to keep your parking lot in tip-top shape, you’ll need to replace it periodically. Remember, curb appeal is important for your business and a shoddy parking lot doesn’t make a good impression.
But replacing asphalt is an expensive and tedious process.
The weather/temperature has to be just right otherwise the asphalt won’t harden as it should when it cools. Rain can also complicate the installation as water exposure will cause significant problems with the asphalt before it solidifies.
It’s also an inconvenience. Your customers may not be able to use the parking lot while it is being repaved. Depending on your location, that could mean that you’ll have to close your business completely during the installation.
This means not only an expensive maintenance bill but also you’ll miss out on sales — hitting your wallet even harder.
Sealcoating your parking lot is a far less involved project. It won’t take as long and it isn’t as expensive. And it will drastically lengthen the lifespan of your asphalt, cutting down on how often it needs to be replaced.
In short, sealcoating is certainly preferable to the inconvenience of replacing asphalt.
5. Aesthetic Appeal
Aside from repairing cracked or crumbling asphalt, replacing your asphalt has one big benefit. It looks so nice afterward!
Fresh asphalt has that dark, smooth finish that looks so sharp and screams well-maintained. Unfortunately, it begins to fade to an ugly gray over time and with exposure to the elements.
Did you know that sealcoating creates that same dark look? It also helps maintain that look for a longer period of time due to the benefits we’ve already mentioned.
A fresh application of sealcoat will cover small cracks and other imperfections. It also goes on black — just like asphalt. So you get the fresh dark look, without the hassle of installing new asphalt. Simply paint the lines back on your parking lot and it will look brand new!
Find Your Sealcoating Professionals
Ready to breathe new life into your parking lot without going to the expense and hassle of replacing the asphalt? Then it’s time to look into sealcoating.
