Sealcoating Facts: The cold hard truth about sealcoating your driveway
Sealcoating is something that’s pretty inexpensive and gives your driveway a brand new look. Living in Michigan, our roads see about the worse weather you can imagine. We go from 60 degrees to 32 degrees without warning.
The back and forth weather can take a serious toll on your asphalt driveway. I’m going to share some facts about sealcoating and hope they seriously help you make a decision.
How Asphalt is Made
Most Asphalt is made out of aggregate, stone and bituminous.
Bituminous coal or “black coal” is a very soft coal containing a tar like substance called bitumen.
According to the DOT of Texas, In the production of asphalt emulsion, water is treated with an emulsifying agent and other chemicals and is pumped to a colloid mill along with asphalt. The colloid mill breaks the asphalt up into tiny droplets. The emulsifying agent migrates to the asphalt- water interface and keeps the droplets from coalescing.
The chemical used, has a very low odor and does not contain irritating chemicals.
Sealcoating is used on asphalt surfaces to protect them from oxidation and other damages caused by cracks, traffic, harsh winters, and UV rays.
How Often Should You Sealcoat?
Many folks will tell you that you’ll only need to apply it every other year and others will say it should be done annually. My advice is it really depends on where you live and how heavy the traffic is on the asphalt surface. Typically we recommend every other year for residential driveways.
In a place like Michigan, you’ll discover, that extra protection is never a bad thing.
It is important to note, that you can actually sealcoat too much, which prevents the asphalt from “breathing” and can cause issues.
Sealcoating your driveway is an excellent way to maintain your asphalt driveway. Many homeowners do not recognize that their asphalt driveway needs maintenance.
If the problem goes unnoticed for too long, cracks will form and water and ice can quickly turn those cracks into potholes. It’s hard to believe, but if you sealcoat your driveway, it can look almost brand new and add a layer of protection from the elements.
The Bottom Line On Sealcoating
The bottom line is this; If you sealcoat your driveway, it’ll add years to your driveway which over time can save you lot’s of money and headaches.
Action Asphalt, LLC has been helping homeowners in Michigan for 47 wonderful years. We offer some of the best pricing in the industry and are willing to meet or beat any competitor’s deal.
If you give us a call, we’ll drive by and look at your driveway. we’ll give you a price that is not only affordable, but will leave your speechless.