As a property manager, you may frequently feel that you are being pulled in several directions at once. Your tenants expect your maintenance staff to respond to any issues immediately, but your maintenance personnel may already be committed to getting a vacancy ready for a new tenant. Property owners or stakeholders may exert pressure to find new tenants, but they may not understand how much the property’s curb appeal can help you attract quality tenants. You may bear most of the tasks related to hiring and supervising a staff, showing available units to prospective tenants, collecting and processing lease payments, advertising your property, and summoning service technicians to repair malfunctioning electrical, heating, plumbing, or cooling systems. With so many responsibilities, you may forget to schedule your parking lot sealcoating or other pavement maintenance services. Although it is understandable, neglecting your asphalt pavement is only going to cause you more headaches in the future.
Paving Planning Tips for Property Managers in Atlanta
What Services Should Property Managers Include in an Asphalt Maintenance Plan?
With professional maintenance, you could obtain up to 30 years from an asphalt parking lot, and other asphalt pavements that are not subjected to vehicle traffic could last even longer. The precise services you will need will depend on your pavement’s usage, its age when you begin a comprehensive maintenance program, and other factors that your contractor will need to evaluate. However, the following paving repairs and maintenance services are generally considered to be the most critical.
1. Asphalt crack sealing is an economical and effective way to prolong the life of your pavement. When cracks are left open to the elements, water infiltration will lead to foundation damage. Underlying voids can lead to sinkholes and potholes, and your pavement can develop large areas of alligator cracking.
2. Asphalt sealcoating should be considered an essential part of your routine maintenance plan. The sun’s rays can rob your pavement of the moisture that it needs to remain flexible, leaving the pavement brittle and easily damaged. The sun is also responsible for fading the color of asphalt pavement. Sealcoating screens out harmful rays and restores the pavement’s color. It also helps protect against damage from leaked automotive fluids and other chemicals.
3. Asphalt striping and pavement markings can help bring order to your parking lot and improve your property’s curb appeal. Furthermore, ensuring that your markings are in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act can help you avoid fines and potential lawsuits.
How Often Should Property Managers Schedule Asphalt Maintenance Procedures?
The overall condition of your pavement and the type of use to which it is subjected can affect your schedule. Therefore, you may need service more frequently or less often than the times estimated on the following list.
1. Thorough inspections of your paved areas should be made at least every six months. Look for cracks, oil stains, potholes, ruts, and depressions in your pavement. You or your staff can conduct these inspections, but you might want to consider having your contractor handle them on a predetermined schedule.
2. If possible, have significant cracks repaired every spring and every autumn.
3. Sealcoating should be applied before a new pavement reaches its first anniversary and as necessary throughout the balance of the pavement’s life. Most asphalt sealcoating contractors recommend a reapplication every two years for a parking lot with average traffic. If you have a busy parking lot, you may need to have high-traffic areas retouched every year.
4. Plan on having an overlay installed about every 15 years and a complete reconstruction about every 30 years. You can set aside the funds for major work in a reserve account to make it easier to budget the funds.
5. Asphalt striping and pavement markings typically need to be repainted every two years. You can plan to have this work done at the same time as you have sealcoating applied.
At MH Greeson, we are committed to helping our customers protect their investments in asphalt pavement. We offer an extensive list of preventive asphalt maintenance services, including sealcoating, crack repair, pothole repair, parking lot striping and pavement markings, bollard installation, and traffic signs. We are known throughout Atlanta and North Georgia for our exceptional work and affordable prices. We can help you develop a customized plan for prolonging the life of your pavement. For a free quote, fill out the online form or call 770-335-2983.
