It’s imperative that ground water problems be taken care of when it comes to asphalt-paved parking lots. Not only because the damage that can be done can lead to costly repairs, but there are consumer safety issues to contend with as well.
Making sure correct drainage is in place and remediation for water problems are taken care of from the start will make parking lot or pavement projects last longer and improve safety.
Let’s review 4 problems that ground water issues can create with asphalt pavement projects:
- Safety and Liability: Here in the northeast, especially this winter, ground water problems are easily attributed to slip and falls by customers and employees. Surface water on the asphalt constantly freezes in the very cold months of the winter and creates liability issues for the parking lot owner.
- Asphalt Damage: Air pockets/voids are highly compressed during the installation of the asphalt and doesn’t allow for much water to flow through it. That’s a good thing because when water seeps up through the ground under certain pressure situations, if it travels through the asphalt, it tends to weaken it. Taking care of ground water issues prior to installation greatly reduces this flow of water and reduces the weakening and cracking of the asphalt surface.
- Sealant Problems: Moist surfaces on asphalt make sealers much less effective, while giving the sealant properties no real way to finish drying – customers and employees can then easily track the sealant into your business or that of another business owner.
- Potholes & Alligator Cracks: Water beneath the surface, water that has poor drainage opportunity, travels horizontally across the bottom and top of the asphalt surface. By doing this, the subgrade becomes weak – allowing for potholes and alligator cracks to appear.
If you need more information or would like to set up a consultation, please email us or call us at 518-664-1014.