Effective Ways To Maintain Your Business's Parking Lot

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It might surprise you, but your parking lot plays a huge role in the overall look of your business. Apart from improving your business's curb appeal, it also shows that you care about your customers' comfort, safety, and accessibility when they come to you, especially since parking has become more tedious than ever. Drivers spend roughly 17 hours annually searching for good parking spaces. Therefore, a poor-looking parking area could deter your customers from visiting your premises. It is vital that you assess the area, looking for cracks, potholes, and other problems. To do so effectively, you need to carry out various maintenance measures. Suppose you are wondering how then you are in the right place. Here are some helpful tips on how to maintain your parking lot.

Schedule regular cleaning

There's more to cleaning than meets the eye. Apart from making your business appear neat and orderly, it can also retain or even increase the value of your storefront. Ideally, it would be best if you aimed to have your parking lot cleaned daily. Various elements such as fallen leaves, dust, or debris can make the area unappealing and negatively impact your business. You should consider hiring professional cleaning services to keep the area looking spotless at all times of the day.

Asphalt is one of the most common paving materials used for parking lots. Some cars that use your parking lot may leak oil. When exposed to oil spots, it makes your location less appealing and weakens the firmness of asphalt. Therefore, it would be advisable to ensure that oil stains that may be left behind are cleaned regularly to prevent damage to the material and cause more unappealing problems. Additionally, if you keep your bins outside, be sure to have them properly managed to prevent them from turning away customers.

Fill all potholes

Potholes develop on asphalt surfaces due to the contraction and expansion of water that has seeped under the paving. Every driver's worst nightmare is because falling into one can result in an expensive auto repair shop or hospital trip. If you have noticed potholes forming in your parking lot, you must take quick actions to have them repaired. 

Unrepaired potholes can lead to traffic in the lot, especially when cars have no choice but to slow down and drive over a deep one. This can mean your customers waste more time, which may cause them to turn away and use another business. It also poses a serious injury risk to your customers and can damage their vehicles. Fixing potholes on your business premises can help you avoid lawsuits for damage and injury. The last things you need for your business are preventable expenses and a damaged reputation.

Use salt during winter

As a business owner, you need to be extra careful during the winter season due to the ice and its possible dangers. One of the most common and popular ways of dealing with this problem is through salt. It is also the most affordable and convenient option.

When the winter months roll in, you always need to have a bag of salt and sand to keep your parking area safe. The ice that forms during those colder months can damage your parking and the car tires of your customers. When you throw salt on the ice, it lowers the water's freezing and melting points. However, when the temperatures are even further below, ensure that you use calcium chloride instead. Calcium chloride is best used to produce heat and melt ice even in sub-zero conditions. If you're not sure how to apply the right amount of salt to deice your parking lot, it's better to contract the services of a snowplow to clear your parking lot and remove additional particles. It will save you a lot more in the long run!

Sealcoat the parking space

Seal coating is one of the most affordable ways to protect your asphalt parking lot, which is susceptible to wear and tear over time. Factors like rainwater, constant traffic, and the sun's UV rays contribute to your parking lot's damage. Constantly repairing your parking lot can take a lot of time and money. However, you can prevent that if you seal coat your parking lot. This maintenance routine keeps your parking lot safe from weather damage and oil spillage and reduces cracks. Seal coating makes it easier for your parking lot to be cleaned and adds additional traction by making it more skid-resistant. It can also be used to enhance the appearance of your parking lot, as most coats use a glossy finish. 

Ideally, you must seal your parking lot every two to four years, depending on how often it is used and how quickly damages form. If you want to have your parking lot seal-coated, you can contact local professional asphalt maintenance services or visit sites such as https://mcconnellassociates.org/asphalt/maintenance-sealcoating-services/.

Paint your parking lot

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders to your parking lot's appearance and storefront. A good paint job can give your parking lot a new look, making it one of your parking space's best and most affordable maintenance tips. Painting your parking lot is a good way to keep your customers safe when they come to your business. Ensure that your paint job clearly indicates demarcations and properly communicates messages to drivers, such as the direction of traffic flow in and out of your parking lot. It should also show your customers where they can park and how. 

Another reason why you must paint your storefront's parking lot is to ensure that your business follows fire and disability compliance. Ensure that you have painted fire lanes and have adequate spaces that meet the requirements for persons with handicaps or disabilities. 

Ensure there's proper drainage

If your parking lot has a poor drainage system, it will cause large amounts of water to pool around your parking space. During heavy rains, it makes your storefront more susceptible to flooding. Additionally, no one enjoys hopping over or stepping into murky puddles of water.

Large pools or puddles of water can cause heavy damage to your parking lot and extend the size of potholes on the surface. When water seeps into the ground, it can also cause structural damage like cracks, sinking, and pavement warping. Stagnated water also becomes a breeding ground for pests that can spread infections. 

It isn't unfixable if you've noticed any of these signs of poor drainage. Fortunately, there are several drainage options you can install to improve your situation. You can have shoulder drainage, which is essentially a gutter that runs along the curbs of your parking lot. Other options include a drain trench and catch basins. 

Restrict parking lot access to heavy-duty vehicles

If you want your parking lot to last long and require minimum repairs, you must restrict heavy vehicles from parking in it. In case you can't restrict their access completely, you can limit how much time they can spend in the parking lot. You can also request that your workers regularly rotate their parking slots. They might have cars with varying weights, and constantly parking a heavier vehicle at one slot can increase its risk for damage.

As a business owner, having a good parking lot can be one of the ways to win more clients and stay ahead of your competition. If you offer parking services to your customers, you must ensure that you use the right maintenance processes to make parking more seamless. These maintenance tips will help you have a resilient and beautifully-designed parking lot.