Parking lot maintenance is very important because it prevents small containable issues to become large and costly. Just like any other surface used by motorists, there’s a lot of pressure endured by parking lots.
For one, it needs proper care and attention to make its servicing years longer. Following are some tips for low cost parking lot maintenance.
7 Practical Parking Lot Maintenance Tips
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Clean parking lot surfaces regularly.
This is probably the most important. Regular cleaning doesn’t mean that you have to sweep the parking lot surface daily. Getting rid of garbage and fallen leaves at least once or twice a month is enough to cover regular cleaning.
Take this time to also clean any fuel or oil spilled on the parking lot surface. You cannot prevent dripping engines from parking but you can prevent their spills from ruining your parking lot. If you leave fuel or oil for long on your parking lot surface, it will start to cause deterioration. Why? Oil crates stains and breaks down surfaces which will result to a weaker parking surface. It is best to take care of them regularly so you don’t compromise the strength of your parking lot.
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Provide immediate attention to cracks.
A crack that’s not taken cared of immediately will result to more costly repairs. Regular inspection for cracks and other signs of damages is also an integral part of parking lot maintenance. Fading, cracks, and other damages can also result to liability issues with your parking lot customers. The sooner you take care of these issues, the less costly it will be.
Another reason why you need to take care of cracks immediately is because grass will start to grow in between. These can break down surfaces, creating damages beyond repair.
Growing weeds will push through the pavement and will result to broken pavement. If the cracks measure wider than a quarter of an inch, it is time for repair. If you see sufficiently wide cracks, better to take care of them with sealants than wait for them to be bigger.
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Proper drainage is important.
Handling drainage issues right away is also an important part of parking lot maintenance. Your parking lot surface will require proper drainage so it can survive water and snow. Clogged drains can be as problematic as no drainage.
Apart from having water pools on your parking surface, clogged drains are also unsightly and stinky. Water that sits too long on your parking lot will create crack and will break down the integrity of the pavement.
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Redesign from time to time.
Using the same area for parking may result to more wear and tear. Change the layout of your parking lot from time to time so you don’t just impact the same portions. By redesigning the parking space, you will be able to reduce the impact and distribute the pressure on the pavement.
Rearrange the stripes and direct traffic to other areas. This will ensure that your parking lot will have more years in the business without requiring costly renovations. You might also increase your parking lot’s density while taking care of your pavement’s integrity.
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Apply sealcoat.
Every few years or when needed, it is important to add sealcoat as part of parking lot maintenance. This will help prevent your materials from breaking down. It will also prevent foreign and harmful elements from damaging the credibility of your pavement.
The frequency of applying a fresh layer of sealcoat will depend on the parking lot activity and how much wear and tear it gets. It is important to bear in mind that every parking lot is different. The climate in your area and the lot’s daily activity will determine if you need to apply sealcoat every two years or more frequent as needed.
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Fix Potholes as soon as possible.
Ignoring a pothole on your parking lot surface is like inviting more expensive repairs. Unfixed potholes will expand and undermine the strength of the entire parking lot surface.
If you see a birdbath, make sure to fix them right away so they don’t turn into potholes. Having potholes can also increase liability issues with your parking lot customers. To fix potholes, you must clean, heat and apply the proper aggregate mix.
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Contract a reliable cleaning service provider.
Parking lot maintenance is not a do-it-yourself kind of project. It requires the right equipment and products to ensure that the parking surface will last or provide longer serviceable years.
Proper parking lot maintenance will require a reliable cleaning service provider. Choose one that will ensure that the money you spend will be worth it. For proper parking lot maintenance in all of Los Angeles and Orange County, you have Prestige Property Services. From parking lot maintenance to other commercial cleaning services, we have the right people and equipment to get the job done.