Everyone’s familiar with the common annoyance of potholes. It doesn’t matter if you’ve newly paved your parking lot or driveway or if it’s been there for years, potholes will inevitably begin to show up. Potholes form because water droplets combined with changing temperatures. As water seeps its way into the ground through the pavement, it expands and contracts as it freezes and thaws. This expansion and contraction underneath the asphalt can weaken the integrity of the pavement there, causing it to crumble inwards as cars and other vehicles stress the weak point.
Potholes are annoying, but they don’t have to be permanent. You can have your driveway or parking lot repaved by a professional pavement company. Be sure to use asphalt as your material of choice for your repaired parking lot or road, as it has a variety of benefits over traditional concrete. Here are the top three reasons why you should repair the potholes in your parking lot or roads and why spring is the best season to do it.
Potholes Are More Common
As mentioned above, potholes form due to the expansion and contraction of water droplets underneath the pavement, resulting in structural weakness and eventual failure. Although it might seem that winter should be the most common time for potholes to form, the pavement doesn’t actually weaken until after the underground ice melts, which occurs in the springtime. As these ice pockets melt, they leave behind cavities where the previous water had expanded, causing the region around the empty hole to become compromised.
This means that during the springtime, potholes are the most common. Ugly potholes can greatly affect how pleasant your parking lot or driveway is to use and look at, so you should take advantage of the fact that most potholes form during the spring to have them professionally repaired. Remember to always employ a professional paving company to repair potholes, as attempting to do it yourself can lead to an ugly and expensive mess.
Repairs Will Improve Curb Appeal
Another compelling reason to have your potholes repaired in the spring is because springtime is when most customers will start leaving their houses more often due to the warming weather. During the winter months, people tend to stay stuck in their homes aside from the holiday season, which has so many unique sources of stress that potholes are probably on the bottom of everyone’s list.
Once the spring rolls around, however, everyone is excited to leave their homes and stretch their legs. A bunch of ugly potholes in your driveway or parking lot can look unappealing to potential customers, lowering your revenue. Fixing up your potholes will make the front of your business look much nicer for customers to see and use, encouraging them to visit your business and continue coming back.
Better Safety
Finally, fixing up your potholes doesn’t just make your business look nicer. It also makes your driveway or parking lot safer to use. Potholes can damage a customer’s wheels, misalign their steering system, harm their exhaust, and cause a number of other vehicle accidents and damage.
Damage or injury due to potholes may leave your business liable for fines or damages depending on jurisdiction on account of negligent road maintenance, so you should always fix up your potholes instead of leaving them to fix later. With more customers than ever on your property during the spring, the warmer months are the best time to get them fixed during the year.