Signs Your Sealcoating Is Wearing Off Your Asphalt

Construction & Contractors Blog

Applying sealcoating to your asphalt surface can help extend its life. The sealcoat helps to prevent water from seeping into the porous asphalt and it blocks the sun's ultraviolet rays, helping to protect the asphalt from cracking. Over time, the sealcoating begins to wear off and needs to be reapplied. Unfortunately, there is no strict timeline for when this will happen. It varies based on the amount of traffic the asphalt surface has, the weather elements the surface is exposed to, and how well the sealcoat was applied. As such, you need to be able to tell when the sealcoat is wearing off so you can have it reapplied. Here are a couple of signs that your sealcoat may be wearing off and should be reapplied by a professional asphalt company.

Water Soaks Into the Asphalt

One of the key signs that asphalt sealcoating needs to be reapplied is water seeping into the asphalt. Water should puddle on the asphalt, not be absorbed, when your asphalt sealer is effective. Try pouring some water over various places on your asphalt surface. If the surface sucks up the water, it is time to have it resealed. However, if the water puddles up on the surface, your sealcoating is still working.

Your Asphalt Is Fading

Sealcoating helps to keep your asphalt surface black. If you notice that it is starting to fade to a gray color, the asphalt surface is not repelling the sun's ultraviolet rays, and in turn, your asphalt surface is starting to fade. This tells you that sealcoating needs to be reapplied. It is important to note that sealcoating will not restore color to an already faded surface, so if your surface is already faded by the time sealcoating is applied, this may not be a great indicator that your sealcoat is fading.

It's Been Longer Than Three Years

The last sign that your sealcoat may be worn off is that it has been three years or longer since you last had it applied. Most asphalt surfaces will need to have sealcoating reapplied after two to three years. If it has been longer than that since yours was reapplied, it is probably time to have it done.

If your asphalt surface is showing you signs that your sealcoating is worn off, you will want to have it reapplied as quickly as possible to ensure the longevity of your asphalt surface. A professional asphalt installer and repair company can properly apply sealcoating, ensuring the coating lasts as long as possible. To find out more, speak with a business like Southwest Slurry Seal, Inc.

27 February 2017