Proper maintenance of your pavement is vital to increasing the longevity of it and saving money long term. One part of maintaining your asphalt is by seal coating it! There are many benefits to seal coating which are important to factor in when you’re thinking of doing work on your asphalt.
1) Seal coating protects against water damage.
A fresh layer of seal coat prevents water from getting into the small cracks in the surface of the asphalt. This will help protect it from the cycle of freezing water expanding the cracks eventually forming the large ones that will need crack sealer.
2) Protects against oil and gas damage.
Asphalt binder is a petroleum based liquid so when any other petroleum-based oil or gas drips onto it, the asphalt will bind with it and eventually reduce the strength of the asphalt. Seal coating helps by having a layer of protection in between the damaging oil and asphalt.
It should be mentioned that if your asphalt has already been damaged this way you will need to repair it before seal coating it to get the full effect of the seal coating.
3) Provides traction for cars.
As the years take their toll on the asphalt the tiny particles that help give the asphalt traction will erode away. Seal coating will lock these in and help provide skid-resistance for cars.
4) Prevents asphalt from becoming brittle.
One of the reasons asphalt is such a good road material is that it’s flexible! This helps the roads last longer as they can adjust to the weight of any given car drive on it. However, as the road ages, like humans, it becomes more brittle and cracks can appear more easily. Seal coating helps maintain it’s youthful flexibility and protect it from cracking under pressure.
5) Slows down oxidation.
As asphalt is exposed to the elements of the great out doors it can actually oxidize, much like fruit. This makes the binder in the asphalt become more brittle over a shorter length of time. Seal coatings act as a sun screen for your asphalt protecting it from the sun along with the other elements.
Proper maintenance of asphalt can extend the lifespan of your pavement by years, and seal coating is a great way of doing just that.
We hope this helps with any concerns about sealcoating. Leave a comment if you have any other questions!