There are a few different notable types of asphalt out therefor common applications, and one that’s popular for parking lots and similar spaces is known as porous asphalt. Porous asphalt, which became popular in the 1970's, allows water to drain through the surface into a stone recharge bed,providing soil support and excellent storm and rain water runoff.
At Go Pave Utah, we can help with paving, sealing,patching and all other forms of asphalt maintenance and repair for all asphalt types. With proper installation and care, porous asphalt can provide cost-effective pavement solutions with 20-plus year lifespans – systems that also help with drainage and can remove the need for a detention basin to be installed. What are a few of the basic care considerations that should come into play for porous asphalt surfaces?
It may sound cliché, but regularly sweeping your porous asphalt driveway or parking lot is essential. The buildup of dirt and debris on the surface of porous asphalt over time can interfere with its water infiltration processes, and can also damage the surface itself with enough inattention.
For driveways or slightly smaller paved areas, a once-a-week sweep with a traditional broom is generally enough to do the trick. For larger parking lots, you may want to consider a weekly vacuum service that can cover the space more easily. And if you’re the owner of a busy lot like a store or restaurant, you might even consider daily or multiple weekly vacuuming appointments. This all depends on how frequently your surface is used.
Less often than sweeping – perhaps once a month or so – you should also have the porous asphalt power washed. This cleans up small debris that may have gotten into the porous holes, blocking water from draining properly. If your lot or driveway regularly has sand or salt used on it, you'll want to up your power washing frequency because these materials may also get stuck in holes. Once power washing has been completed, plan to do a solid vacuuming or sweeping to get rid of any loose debris left over.
After major storms such as snow or rain, particularly soon after having porous asphalt installed for the first time, you should do a basic inspection of your surface. You’re looking for any surface ponding, which may signal clogging issues in your porous surface. The sources of these clogs are generally trees and bushes, so trimming these back and considering permeable borders for your lot can also help limit off-site runoff and potential clogging. If you do all these things and still see pooling issues, contact our pros about finding the solution.
For more on caring for your porous asphalt, or to learn about any of our asphalt paving or repair services, speak to the pros at Go Pave Utah today.
