Time of Year Matters
You’ve heard it said before. “It’s that time of year…” But, when it concerns your parking lots, what does time of year have to do with it? Indeed, one of the most important factors when developing a pavement management plan is timing. The frequency or intervals at which maintenance is performed is one aspect of timing. Time of year is another critical component. While no two plans will mirror each other—either in frequency or time of year, there are some general considerations of which to be mindful when determining the right months to perform pavement maintenance.
For most of the country, pavement maintenance is seasonal due to unfavorable weather conditions in the winter and limited access to hot-mix asphalt. That leaves roughly nine months in which to perform preventative or structural maintenance on your parking lots. From February through October, it is possible to schedule a variety of procedures; but, just because it is feasible does not mean it is optimal.
In fact, contractors have been known to push for certain procedures in the spring, summer, and fall; but, in most cases, the suggestions are a sales tactic and do not have anything to do with the property or conditions at hand. This article will help you understand when and why time of year truly matters.