When you have an asphalt pavement, the most cost-effective way to help prevent damage is to have your contractor apply a fresh pavement sealant at appropriate intervals. High-quality, professionally applied sealants function as a sunblock for asphalt pavements to prevent ultraviolet radiation from drying out the asphalt binder. They also help protect against damage caused by oil and other petrochemicals, and they improve traction, cover minor surface flaws, and return the pavement to its original luxurious, dark color. However, asphalt sealcoating is extremely sensitive to environmental factors, so contractors must ensure that specific weather conditions are conducive to a successful application.
What Environmental Conditions Are Needed for Asphalt Sealcoating Applications?
Sealcoating contractors monitor weather forecasts closely so that they will not schedule a job for a day with unsuitable conditions. The conditions that are of the greatest concern when sealcoating Austin TX pavements are the ground temperature, the relative humidity, the air temperature, the wind speed, and the available hours of sunlight. As all experienced parking lot maintenance contractors know, sealcoating manufacturers provide guidance on the ideal conditions for applying their products, but they also specify a range of acceptable tolerances that will allow a successful application.
What Are the Ideal Conditions for Applying Asphalt Sealcoating?
Most manufacturers use nearly identical standards for defining the ideal conditions for applying their sealants.
1. The ideal ground temperature is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. The ideal relative humidity is 50% or less.
3. The ideal air temperature is at least 70 degrees.
4. The ideal wind speed is between 3 mph and 5 mph.
5. Ideally, the applied sealant should receive at least four hours of direct sunlight.
What Are the Acceptable Weather Conditions for Parking Lot Sealcoating in Austin TX?
Asphalt companies in Texas are painfully aware that all ideal conditions rarely occur on the same day. Although having ideal conditions would certainly be nice, a Texas asphalt contractor is more likely to find that only one weather condition meets the standard for ideal, and there are many days when all five conditions are less than ideal. Therefore, most contractors rely on the acceptable ranges when sealcoating Austin TX pavements.
1. The ground temperature is at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit when the job starts, and the temperature continues to rise throughout the day.
2. The humidity levels are less than 75%, and the forecast should not call for rain during the work and for at least 24 hours thereafter.
3. The air temperature needs to be at least 50 degrees and rising.
4. The wind speed typically needs to be less than 10 mph, but the velocity should be a minimum of 3 mph and steady.
5. The exposure to sunlight usually needs to be at least three hours if the other conditions are acceptable, so parking lot maintenance contractors prefer to avoid sealing pavements at night, under cloudy skies, or when fog is present. Sometimes, incorporating an additive can help compensate, especially when the pavement is densely shaded.
Why Are the Weather Conditions Important When Sealing Asphalt Pavements?
Asphalt sealants are typically around 70% water, and the water must evaporate for the sealant to cure. Anything that affects the rate of evaporation can delay or prevent curing. Heat and dry air accelerate evaporation, wind helps move saturated air away so that more water can evaporate, and sunlight makes the water molecules more active so that they escape faster.
How May We Help You?
RDC Paving is an Austin-based paving and sealcoating contractor, and we are committed to helping every customer get the most out of their investments in paving.. Our services include parking lot striping, asphalt paving, parking lot maintenance, asphalt overlays, sealcoating, concrete repair, asphalt crack repair, concrete installation, asphalt milling, concrete curbs, driveway paving, and asphalt repair. We serve the greater Austin area, including the towns of Round Rock, San Marcos, Killeen, Temple, Leander, Belton, Cedar Park, New Braunfels, Georgetown, and Leander. We have an impeccable reputation for superior workmanship and exemplary service. Request your free quote today by submitting our online form. If you would rather, you can call 512-920-9155 to reach our Hutto office.
