Increase Your Community’s Property Values

What Homeowners and Condominium Association Property Managers Need to Know About Parking Lot Paving

By ACPLM, Inc. / Published February 2020

As an HOA and condominium manager, you are responsible for maintaining the streets, parking lots, and walkways of your community. Doing so improves the safety of the residents and increases the chances of attracting new buyers and tenants by high-quality landscaping and scenic property. Living in an attractive environment makes both new and existing residents feel safe and excited to call such an attractive location home. Proper care and maintenance of the roads also will reduce the cost of any parking lot paving repairs, both major and minor.

How Pavement Condition Affects Property Value

     One of the significant challenges you face as an HOA or condominium manager is attracting new buyers, while at the same time keeping the existing residents happy. Worn out and faded asphalt pavement and concrete lowers the property value, consequently making the residents unhappy when they hit bumps constantly with their cars and have to take more precautions walking across the lot to the sidewalks. However, you can keep the residents content by ensuring that the environment is aesthetically pleasing through well-maintained concrete and asphalt paving.

     You can show your residents and guests how much you value them by ensuring your parking lot paving has the following features:

• Proper maintenance—As part of your parking lot maintenance procedures, you should ensure that your parking lot paving has visible striping, pedestrian crossing points, and clear handicap accessibility points.
• Smooth and hazard-free surface—Schedule asphalt repairs as needed to avoid developing hazardous potholes and cracks in parking lots, sidewalks, and concrete.
• Proper drainage—You should ensure adequate drainage in asphalt pavement and parking lots to avoid damage to any existing cracks, asphalt flaws, and crevices. You can prevent water damage through proper asphalt seal coating.

Parking Lot Maintenance Practices

     Despite its durability, asphalt and concrete paving won’t last forever. However, you can prolong the lifespan by carrying out proper care and maintenance. Common asphalt and concrete services you need to be familiar with include the following:

• Sealcoating—This is an essential aspect of your regular asphalt care practice and should be completed every two to three years. This form of maintenance adds a protective layer on your asphalt pavement, increasing its durability and resistance to ultraviolet rays, heat, run-off water, oil and gas stains, and natural wear.
• Concrete repair—Unlike asphalt, concrete is more permeable and, hence, prone to wear. Consequently, concrete requires more attention as minor crumbling or uneven concrete surfaces are a safety hazard. Plan for concrete repairs as soon as you notice minor damage to prevent it from escalating and becoming costly.
• Crack sealing—This is one of the most effective parking lot paving maintenance procedures. Filling any cracks prevents water from penetrating and damaging the pavement.
• Asphalt paving—Although asphalt is durable, it weakens over time, requiring repair services. Have a preventive maintenance plan in place to prolong the life of your asphalt pavement as well as ensure safety and performance.
• Lot marking—This is a simple process, but it plays a significant role in enhancing the overall look of your parking lot. It involves creating clean, bright, and visible marking in your parking lot to make it easy for guests and residents to use.

How to Maximize the Lifespan of Your Parking Lot Paving

     As soon as a parking lot is installed, the material starts curing, and the aging process begins. On average, a concrete parking lot lasts for about 30 years while asphalt paving lasts around 25 years. The best thing you can do is work with a parking lot maintenance and repair company to prolong the lifespan of your asphalt and concrete pavement. The following are signs that you need asphalt and concrete repair services:

Cracks

     As your concrete and asphalt paving ages, it starts to develop cracks that need to be sealed or filled. Failure to repair these cracks will result in their growth, making your parking lot look like an alligator skin. When this occurs, the only option is to remove the entire affected surface and lay another one.

Potholes

     Having potholes in your parking lot is not only an eyesore but also a safety hazard to drivers. They occur due to contraction and expansion of the ground below your parking, which happens after weather changes. Water seeps through the cracks in pavement and settles underneath.

     Consequently, the paving material and soil over the void will break down, creating a pothole. Proper parking lot maintenance services should prevent this from happening.

Faded Parking Lot Surface

     Your parking lot surface fades over time, mainly due to prolonged ultraviolet exposure. Conventional seal coating delays the damage, but you need to resurface the pavement when it’s no longer sufficient.

Choose the Right Asphalt and Concrete Paving Company

     For any asphalt or concrete paving project, it’s imperative to select the correct paving company. Always research and review the paving company’s license and past work. Ask for references from past client projects before making a selection. You can also remain up to date by requesting daily updates and visiting the site of the project.

     Keeping up to date with pavement maintenance by choosing the right paving company will ensure the residents of your HOA or condominium are satisfied. 

Jim Fernandez & Tom Fairfax

Asphalt and Concrete Parking Lot Maintenance (ACPLM)

     When Jim Fernandez and Tom Fairfax decided to create Asphalt and Concrete Parking Lot Maintenance (ACPLM), they understood the importance of maintaining a reputation of trust, commitment, and integrity. Since ACPLM was founded in 2012, it has completed more than 2,400 jobs ranging from asphalt and concrete repair to striping and sealcoating, with representatives ensuring every job is quality workmanship. Their combined experience of more than 50 years in the field of parking lot maintenance and dedication to their clients proved to be the solid foundation they needed in order to make ACPLM into the success it is today. 
     For more information, visit www.acplm.net.