It is virtually impossible to think of anything that cannot benefit from preventive maintenance. Your heating and cooling system can operate more efficiently, last longer and be more reliable if it receives periodic filter changes and seasonal tuneups. Your car could need a new engine in a relatively short time if you never change its oil. The wood on your home can rot or mold unless you maintain its paint or stain. The manufacturers of HVAC equipment, mechanics and siding contractors all understand the need for routine maintenance. Similarly, asphalt paving contractors know that your pavement will suffer unless you ensure that it is properly maintained. A pavement maintenance plan can serve as your guide to the types and timing of the maintenance procedures that your particular pavement will need.
Why You Need an Asphalt Pavement Management Plan
Who Needs a Pavement Management Plan?
A quick test to see if you could benefit from a pavement management plan is to consider your answers to the following questions.
1. Is your budget so great that you can afford to rebuild your asphalt pavement every seven years or so? With proper maintenance, asphalt pavements should have a useful life of 15 to 20 years. If neglected, its life can be cut in half. Reconstruction is costly, so having your pavement rebuilt two or three times more often than you should need it can take a serious bite out of your company’s profits.
2. Do you mind the inconvenience and disruption that a total reconstruction can cause? Although asphalt pavements are quick to install, a reconstruction can be noisy, disrupt the flow of traffic, and inconvenience your customers.
3. Do you find it stressful when you have to abandon your daily agenda to deal with an emergency? Some people do not mind having to be thrust into crisis mode, but others prefer preventing fires to putting them out. Without routine maintenance, you could find yourself having to devote an inordinate amount of time to soliciting bids for emergency repairs to your pavement, fielding complaints from employees and/or customers, working with your attorney to defend yourself in a lawsuit filed by someone who was injured on your property, or attempting to explain why your parking lot does not comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
By this point, you have probably decided that you could benefit from a pavement maintenance plan. However, you may not be certain of how to create such a plan. If so, just keep reading.
How Do I Establish a Pavement Maintenance Plan?
A pavement maintenance plan is relatively easy to create. However, it will require a bit of your time to locate the information that you will need.
1. If you have more than one property, you will need to list all pavements. A good way to begin is to take a spiral notebook and write the name and address of each property on a separate page.
2. Collect all of the documents you can find that relate to the history of the pavement. If you have multiple pavements, place all documents related to each pavement in a separate folder. Documents can include construction specifications and drawings, old estimates, paid invoices and photographs.
3. In your notebook, record the date that the pavement was installed, the types of repairs and when they were made, the preventive maintenance procedures the pavement has received, and any other pertinent facts about the pavement. If you prefer, you could create a spreadsheet on your computer instead of writing the information in your notebook.
4. You will need to inspect your pavement to assess its current condition. The easiest way to handle this is to ask an asphalt paving Atlanta GA contractor to help you. Alone or with the contractor, walk through your parking lot, taking notes and pictures as you go. Look for signs of pavement distress. For example, if the pavement’s color is faded or dingy, it could be in dire need of asphalt sealcoating. Sealcoating will restore the pavement’s color, but it is a highly effective way to keep your pavement safe from the damaging effects of the sun and automotive fluids.
5. Prioritize repairs to potholes or other breaks in the surface of the pavement. Open breaks allow water to reach the foundation and damage it. Keeping your pavement’s foundation stable and strong is a major part of avoiding extensive and costly repairs.
6. Ask your contractor to recommend a schedule for your routine parking lot maintenance. Although your schedule can vary, most parking lots need fresh sealcoating and paint every two years, annual crack repairs, inspections twice each year, and an overlay every 12 years.
7. Now that you know the appropriate schedule, enter that information in your notebook or spreadsheet. List each type of procedure needed as well as the date that each procedure should be performed. Review your plan every month to ensure that you schedule all procedures, and make sure that you record the information when each procedure is completed.
If you need help, contact MH Greeson. We specialize in parking lot maintenance and would be happy to tailor a plan to your precise needs. Our services include asphalt patching, asphalt sealcoating, asphalt crack repairs, parking lot striping and pavement markings, traffic sign installations and pothole repairs. We are known for providing high-quality work at affordable rates. We are based in Marietta, GA and serve most locations in North Georgia, including the greater Atlanta region. You can use the online form to request a free quote, or you can reach us by phone at 770-335-2983.
