Is your business prepared for Ontario’s brutal winter season?
With winter right around the corner, it’s only a matter of time before temperatures plummet and snow begins to fall. Of course, this inclement weather may impact your business in several ways—including the state of your asphalt pavement.
To prevent accidents and preserve the overall life of your pavement, there are several steps you should take to maintain your asphalt surface. Follow these essential winter maintenance tips before that first snowflake falls!
Remove Any Debris from Your Pavement
It’s good practice to inspect, sweep, and power wash your asphalt pavement on a regular basis, but it’s especially important to give your pavement a thorough clean before the first snowfall.
Once snow covers your pavement, any neglected objects or debris will become buried and may even freeze to your asphalt. This will not only make snow removal difficult but also damage your pavement.
Address Your Standing Water Issues
While the occasional puddle might not seem like cause for alarm, the truth is that standing water can cause major issues during the winter months. For one, standing water will freeze when temperatures drop—creating a slick, icy surface that is dangerous for drivers and pedestrians alike.
What’s more, standing water is more likely to penetrate your pavement, refreeze once temperatures drop, and cause your asphalt to repeatedly expand and contract. Over time, this will weaken your pavement until large cracks and potholes form—leaving you with all types of costly asphalt repairs!
Schedule Any Necessary Asphalt Pavement Repairs
If your asphalt pavement needs attention, it’s critical that you schedule repairs as soon as possible. There are two reasons for this. First, winter weather can exacerbate existing pavement damage. The freeze-thaw cycle may cause cracks to become larger or connect together, while dislodged asphalt can get in the way of efficient snow removal.
Additionally, winter weather is not an ideal time for most types of asphalt repairs. In fact, once temperatures drop, chances are that you will need to wait until springtime before you’re able to repair your pavement.
Prepare for Ongoing Winter Maintenance
From the moment that snow begins to fall, it’s important that you remove it promptly after each snowstorm. Allowing snow to build up on your pavement will not only prevent customers and employees from accessing your business but also impact the life of your asphalt.
To start, make sure that you keep essential snow removal tools and supplies in stock. This includes making sure that you have plenty of shovels available and keeping plenty of de-icing products on hand. Just make sure that your de-icers are asphalt-friendly first!
You should also have a game plan for when and how you plan to remove snow. Do you have a small crew ready to shovel or plow? Alternatively, you can invest in high-quality snow removal services. This will ensure that snow is removed quickly, properly, and safely whenever there’s a storm, and give you peace of mind that your pavement is being maintained!
Do you need help maintaining your asphalt pavement before winter arrives? Contact the experts at Empire Paving today!
We were very pleased with the professional job done by Empire Paving this fall.
Luciano and his team were very reliable, knowledgeable and able to handle all issues that arose during completion of this project. We would highly
recommend Empire Paving for any paving job!