You may be thinking about choosing asphalt for your home’s driveway or your office’s parking lot, but perhaps you have heard some negatives that have caused you to hesitate. Use this guide to separate asphalt facts from fiction, so that you don’t base your decision on pesky rumors.
- Asphalt has a Short LifespanFalse. In fact, properly installed asphalt pavement from a trustworthy pavement company can last 25 years or more. Be sure to focus on quality if you choose to hire a company to pave your driveway or parking lot with asphalt– smoother pavement extends its life, making the surface last between 10% and 25% longer.
- Asphalt isn’t Eco-FriendlyFalse. The idea that asphalt is toxic or bad for the natural habitat is another common misconception. In fact, the EPA set strict guidelines for the production, mixing, and application of asphalt products. In the past, this pavement choice may have been less than ideal, but now it is much less harmful. It is made with many natural ingredients, like stone, sand, and gravel that are then mixed with a cementing material for cohesion. Now, asphalt is no longer listed as a material that creates harmful air pollutants, and asphalt can even be recycled.
- Asphalt Costs Way Too MuchFalse. Asphalt has a great return on investment because it is easy to install, lasts a long time, and is made efficiently, thanks to asphalt recycling. When properly installed and maintained, asphalt will not cost any more than a concrete surface.
- Asphalt Can’t be RepairedFalse. It is puzzling where this rumor would come from since there are so many services and methods available for restoring asphalt to its original glory. Nearly any pavement company offers repairs for asphalt, including crack sealing, seal coating, power washing and resurfacing. Not only are repair options cheap and simple, but they can also help your pavement last significantly longer. Using crack sealing to prevent the freeze-thaw cycle of frost from prematurely deteriorating asphalt makes this pavement more cost-effective over years of use.
No home or business maintenance project is ever really cheap or fun. Though you may be dreading your next pavement job, consider hiring a pavement company that offers asphalt and asphalt maintenance for a smooth, eco-friendly, long-lasting surface.
