How Summer Heat Impacts Your Commercial Parking Lot

Cracks in the pavement aren’t the only issue that can arise in your commercial parking lot during the hot summer. Let’s face it, summer here is brutal! With high heat, high humidity, frequent heavy rain… your parking lot really takes a beating. To mitigate the damage, it’s important to know and prepare for how summer heat impacts your commercial parking lot. Let’s take a look at those impacts:

1. Faded line striping – Sunlight exposure fades lines, arrows and other painted markings on your pavement. You might do well to set aside budget for re-striping the lot once the summer heat and intense sunlight is over for the year.

2. Tracking – Asphalt can withstand high temperatures to a degree. However, a particularly sweltering day (or several) can soften the asphalt’s surface layer to the extent that granules of it begin to stick to car tires and even the bottom of shoes.

3. Weakened pavement – UV rays from the sun and water together can cause weakening of the asphalt. This leads to cracks, uneven surfaces and the formation of potholes that can damage cars.

4. Water infiltration – If you notice standing water on your pavement after a rainstorm that doesn’t drain away, this is cause for concern. Your drainage system should drain away all the excess water. Standing water on your pavement can lead to or indicate water infiltration, which can damage the asphalt foundation below.

The best defense for how summer heat impacts your commercial lot is preparation. Preparing for the summer heat by filling cracks, repairing damaged areas and applying protective sealcoating to keep water out and protect your asphalt is key. Commercial lots are expensive to repave and it’s much more cost effective to anticipate the potential damage that can be caused during the summer season and protect your lot’s asphalt before the brutal summer hits. If you have questions about protecting your commercial parking lot from the summer heat, call EcoShield!