Brand new driveways often turn gray and brittle after just a couple of winters around here. This happens when Philadelphia weather gets ahold of unprotected asphalt. Between July humidity baking the oils right out of the binder and January bringing a relentless freeze-thaw cycle through the Delaware Valley, pavement takes a heavy beating. Apex Asphalt Co has pulled up enough crumbled driveways in Fishtown and Roxborough to know that water is the absolute enemy of blacktop. When moisture seeps into tiny hairline cracks and freezes overnight, the water expands and turns minor flaws into gaping holes. Sealcoating acts like a heavy-duty sunscreen and waterproof shield rolled into one.
To stretch the lifespan of a sealcoat job, property owners must treat their pavement right from day one. Heavy delivery trucks or loaded moving vans should not be parked on fresh sealer for at least forty-eight hours. Property owners must also keep an eye out for oil leaks. If a vehicle drips transmission fluid or motor oil, it needs to be cleaned up fast. Petroleum eats right through coal tar and asphalt emulsion sealers, turning the spot into a sticky mess that crumbles under your tires.
Regular maintenance is not complicated, but it does require consistent work. Leaves, twigs, and organic debris must be swept off every few weeks, especially in the fall when wet maples sit on the surface and trap moisture against the pavement. The surface should be washed down a couple of times a year to clear away salt residue left over from winter plowing. Salt does not just rust cars; it also degrades the asphalt binder if left sitting there month after month.
Spotting the Warning Signs
Property owners do not need an engineering degree to tell when a sealcoat is failing. The color is a major indicator. If a driveway looks like a dusty chalkboard instead of a rich, dark black, the protective layer has worn thin. Another dead giveaway is when tiny spiderweb cracks appear, which is known as alligator cracking. If the surface is starting to look rough and aggregate is popping loose, the property is already past due for another coat.
Here is what you should check on your property every season:
- Fading color turning from deep black to dry gray
- Water pooling in low spots instead of running off
- Cracks wider than a nickel opening up
- Flaking or peeling sealer near the edges
When to Call Apex Asphalt Co
Some projects make sense on a Saturday afternoon, but rolling on cheap sealer from the big box store usually ends in regret. If pavement has deep structural cracks, rutting from heavy vehicles, or large areas where the base is sinking, slapping a coat of sealer over it is a waste of money. Apex Asphalt Co sees people spend weekends scrubbing and rolling only to watch the whole mess wash down the storm drain during the first heavy spring thunderstorm.
Call in a professional crew when you are looking at extensive cracking, severe oxidation, or if you simply do not have the time to properly prep, clean, and apply the material during the tight weather window we get in Pennsylvania. Apex Asphalt Co makes sure the cracks are hot-poured, the surface is immaculate, and the sealer goes down evenly so it actually lasts through the next few rounds of brutal Philadelphia weather.