A parking lot takes more punishment than almost any other part of a commercial property. It is exposed to every storm, every heat wave and every vehicle that comes and goes. Knowing what causes damage helps owners, HOA boards and property managers spot trouble early and budget for repairs before they become emergencies. These are the most common threats we see on lots across Monmouth, northern Ocean and southern Middlesex counties.
Water that can’t get away
Water is the single biggest enemy of asphalt. When a lot is not pitched correctly, has settled in places or has clogged inlets, water sits on the surface and seeps into cracks. Once it reaches the base, it softens it, and the pavement above loses support. In winter, trapped water freezes and expands, breaking the surface apart. If you have puddles that last well after a storm, read how puddles form in an asphalt parking lot for the causes and fixes.
Freeze-thaw winters
New Jersey’s winters swing above and below freezing over and over. Each cycle widens cracks a little more. A lot that goes into winter with open cracks and weak spots often comes out of it with holes. Winter also brings plows, which can catch raised edges, seams and inlet frames and tear them up, and sand that ends up in drains.
Heavy and repetitive loads
Parking lots are usually designed for the traffic expected when they were built. Over time, that traffic often changes. A retail center adds a tenant with daily truck deliveries, or a lot that was built for cars now serves buses or landscaping trailers. Heavy vehicles that travel the same paths, stop in the same spots and turn in place cause ruts, shoving and alligator cracking, especially at entrances, loading areas and around dumpsters.
Summer heat
On hot days, asphalt softens. That makes it more vulnerable to heavy loads, turning tires and anything with a small, concentrated footprint, like trailer jacks, dumpster wheels and equipment stands. Years of sun also oxidize the surface, turning it gray and brittle and making it more likely to crack once winter arrives.
Oil, fuel and chemical spills
Petroleum products soften asphalt. Lots where vehicles leak oil in the same spaces, where equipment is fueled or where trucks drip hydraulic fluid develop soft, crumbling areas over time. Quick cleanup with an absorbent, and addressing repeat offenders, prevents this.
Poor original construction
Some lots were built with too little base, too little asphalt or poor compaction. Others were paved over soft or wet soil without correcting it. These lots show problems early and often, and repairs tend not to last because the underlying cause has not been fixed.
Deferred repairs
Small problems are inexpensive to fix. A hole or a broken area left over a winter grows, and the area around it starts to fail too. Delayed repairs are one of the most common reasons a lot that could have been repaired ends up needing to be repaved.
Tree roots and landscaping
Roots from trees planted close to the lot can lift and crack the pavement. Irrigation that sprays onto asphalt or soaks the soil along the edges keeps the base wet. Planting beds that sit higher than the pavement can send runoff and soil onto the lot.
How to stay ahead of damage
- Walk the lot in spring and fall and note cracks, holes, ruts and puddles.
- Keep catch basins and inlets clear of leaves, sand and trash.
- Have holes and failed areas looked at early, and plan milling and repaving with a rebuilt base where needed rather than relying on temporary fill.
- Clean up spills quickly.
- Watch the areas that carry heavy trucks and plan for them in the next repaving.
For a checklist of warning signs, see five glaring signs your asphalt parking needs repair. When the problems go beyond spot repairs, our commercial parking lot paving service covers milling, repaving and rebuilding failed areas so the lot is built for the traffic it actually carries.
Need this done right?
Dan The Paver handles parking lot paving across Monmouth, Ocean (Toms River and north) and southern Middlesex counties. Free on-site estimates.