Curb Appeal: It’s All About Routine Maintenance

First impressions are important, which is why property owners pour effort and money into beautiful curb appeal. Well-maintained structures, landscaping, and shared common areas all contribute to the property looking its best. But what about your asphalt and concrete surfaces? Do they enhance your property or take away from the overall aesthetic?

There are several culprits which can affect the surfaces your visitors and residents walk and drive across each and every day. Sunshine, drainage issues, root formation, fluid build up, and general wear and tear all contribute to the slow formation of cracks and dips in the surface and overall deterioration of your pavement. These flaws are not only damaging to the visual impression your property makes, but can also be dangerous to pedestrians and vehicles.

There are a few minor things your landscaping or maintenance crew can do to keep your asphalt and concrete exteriors tidy:

1. Take the time to manicure the edges and create a clean definition between the surface and the grass or landscaping.
2. If there are any weeds creeping in, have them pulled or sprayed.
3. Give the expanse a thorough hosing off to remove excess dirt and debris that accumulates on the surface.
4. Examine the neighboring surfaces to ensure you do not have any areas that will contribute to pooling or draining issues, which can further deteriorate the surface.

Next, take a look and assess any structural issues that need to be addressed. Depending on where your pavement is on the Pavement Life Cycle, it may benefit from professional maintenance.

Stage 1: 0 to 5 Years

If your pavement is relatively new, you should be good. Unless you notice any problems, scheduling maintenance for your brand new pavement is often a waste of time and money.

Stage 2: 5 to 7 Years

This is what we like to call the “Initial Preventive Maintenance” phase, and typically only involves minor (but important) procedures. If your pavement falls into this category, you can expect we’ll recommend an initial sealcoating and possibly some crack sealing, if needed.

Stage 3: 7 to 15 Years

This is the “Minor Repairs and Continued Preventive Maintenance” phase. Typical maintenance procedures during this time in your pavement’s life include some patch repairs, crack sealing, and a second sealcoating.

Stage 4: 15 to 25 Years

It’s at this stage where you’ll start to experience some major repairs. Your pavement is no longer a spring chicken, and you’ll need to look into sprucing it up with extensive patching repairs, possibly an asphalt overlay, and a third sealcoating. (Why so much sealcoating? We wrote a series on the importance of this particular maintenance procedure—give it a read to learn exactly why it’s so crucial to extending the life of your pavement!)

Stage 5: 25 to 35 Years

This is basically the end of your pavement’s life, and you can expect to have extensive repairs done throughout the community. Often, especially if you’re toward the end of this age range, it makes most sense to undergo a complete removal and replacement of the asphalt.

So, where is your property on the Pavement Life Cycle? How curb-appealing are your asphalt surfaces? Is it time for a sealcoat? Do you have any cracks, crevices, or crumbles that need attention? Are there patches that should be addressed?

If the answer is “yes” to any of those questions, or even if the answer is, “I don’t know,” Black Diamond can help you determine the condition of your pavement and make a plan for getting things back in shape and keeping your property safe, beautiful, and inviting.

Call us for a quote today!