One way you can prolong the life of your asphalt driveway and keep it looking nice is to apply a sealcoat every few years, or when you notice that the asphalt starts absorbing moisture easily. A sealcoat is a mixture of asphalt, sealants, and mineral particles. When applied over an asphalt driveway, the sealcoat creates a protective layer against aging, stains, and water damage. A few factors can impact a successful sealcoat application.
1. Asphalt Age
Sealcoats should not be applied to freshly laid asphalt as it can take several months for fresh asphalt to cure properly. Applying a sealcoat too early may prevent the asphalt from curing properly, which creates a problem that could cause premature damages or failure. Your asphalt service will inform you of the best time to apply the first sealcoat application as it can depend upon the season and how quickly asphalt tends to cure in your climatic area.
2. Temperature Impacts
For the sealcoat to cure properly, the excess moisture needs to be able to evaporate out so that the coating dries into an impervious barrier. This isn't typically possible in the cooler seasons. For this reason, sealcoating is usually applied from late spring to early fall, when daytime temperatures can reliably get warm enough to ensure the sealcoating cures completely.
3. Humidity Levels
High humidity can also impact curing by slowing it down, as the excess moisture in the air will prevent the sealcoating from drying out and curing as it should. It's generally best to apply sealcoating during the dry season which, for many locations, may mean summer is the only optimum time to do the job. If you live in an area that tends to be humid year-round, then your asphalt service may recommend a longer curing time for a fresh sealcoat job.
4. Weather Concerns
Bad weather will impact sealcoat application and curing. A bit of rain after the sealcoat is fully applied won't be a problem, although it may slow down the curing time of the sealcoat by a few days. Constant rain and wet weather, on the other hand, can prevent a full cure from occurring. For this reason, it is best to apply sealcoating when there is a dry weather window of at least a week. This way the sealcoat can complete an initial cure during dry weather. Dry, warm, and sunny weather is ideal for sealcoat application and curing.
Contact an asphalt sealcoating service to learn more about the optimum time to add a protectant to your driveway.
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