Asphalt pavement makes for a great pavement that can last many years and look attractive for your property's appearance. From pre-installation to taking care of your asphalt immediately after installation and regular annual upkeep, it is important to ensure it is properly protected for a long life. Here are some recommendations to help you get your property asphalt pavement installed as a durable surface.

Arrange for the Proper Installation Time

When you need an asphalt pavement installed on your property, you don't want to go ahead and install it during any time of the year and in any weather conditions. Asphalt pavers may be experts at installing a good pavement surface, but you need to consider the weather conditions and temperature to get a good strong pavement. Asphalt that is poured in cold weather on frozen ground, for example, is likely to cool too quickly and cause the pavement to crack and crumble. And asphalt poured in wet weather will encounter similar problems in its cure time. Asphalt needs to cool and cure appropriately, but you don't want it to occur too rapidly. 

So when you prepare for a new asphalt surface, the best time of year to complete a new installation is during the spring, summer, and fall. As long as the weather is dry and warm, your asphalt is going to cool properly and cure into a hardened surface.

Take Care of Maintenance

After it has been installed, it is important for you to protect its surface from damage, which can happen during the first few days after being poured. The soft asphalt surface will need to cool down, but you can walk upon its surface the first day. However, don't drive over its surface for at least a couple of days and don't turn your steering wheel for the first several days so you don't risk causing divots to occur on the surface.

Be sure you follow up each year after installation to fill cracks that form, and you can protect the surface against pothole formation. Consider sealcoat application every few years once your asphalt begins to dry out, crack, and age. Sealcoating will protect your asphalt from further deterioration while the sealcoating slurry fills in the small cracks and crevices over the surface. 

Consult with your asphalt professional about recommendations for your pavement's maintenance schedule based on your local climate. The more extreme the temperature fluctuations in the area, the more prone to damage your asphalt will be.

If you need help with residential asphalt paving, talk to a paving contractor near you.