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Should You Sealcoat Asphalt During Winter Months?

Asphalt pavement can undergo significant wear and tear with the passage of time due to the changing weather conditions outside. The repair process for an asphalt pavement can be lengthy and costly, which is why it is recommended to carry out its regular maintenance. Seal coating your asphalt in Austin or anywhere in Texas gives the asphalt pavement protection that increases its life and keeps it in good condition. If you are thinking of getting seal coating your asphalt during the winter, it is important first to understand how temperature and humidity can affect the whole process. Depending on where you live, the degree of difficulty of seal coating will vary according to the temperature and humidity levels. Typically, in places like here in Austin, the asphalt seal coating season lasts nearly year-round, except during the extreme colds, which happen on occasion in Central Texas.

With that said, seal coating is not entirely impossible during winters, but there are a lot of factors that can be affected during the whole process. Below, we discuss two of the factors that greatly affect the seal coating process in winters:

1. Humidity

Considering the temperature-sensitive nature of the whole process, it is important to ensure that the humidity levels are not too high when attempting to seal coat your asphalt driveway. This is because the higher levels of humidity can cause an increased level of moisture in the air, which will result in a longer time taken by the asphalt driveway to dry out completely. Hence, it is important to check the levels of humidity before you decide to take on the seal coating job.

2. Temperature

To carry out a successful seal coating process, it is imperative to ensure that the temperature outside is more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In Austin, during winters, the average temperature at night stays at 40 degrees. The temperature in Austin is also said to go to a level of about 20 degrees for 12 nights in winter. The pavement of the driveway being seal coated will require enough drying period to cure itself and hence will require a temperature of 50 degrees or above during the whole process. This is something that will be difficult to achieve during the winters. Also, seal coating requires two coats, which will result in more time taken during winters as the drying process for one coat will be higher than usual.

3. UV Rays

UV radiation helps the asphalt pavement dry out quickly; the absence of sufficient UV radiation during winters will result in an increased time frame for the seal coating job. This will not only increase the overall cost but will also expose the asphalt pavement to more chances of being damaged during the process. Also, the application of seal coating done with sprayers is not possible during the winters, which is why it will have to be undertaken manually, resulting in higher costs for the whole process.

Should You Sealcoat Asphalt During Winter Months?

Even though it is extremely important to make proper repairs and carry out regular maintenance for the asphalt driveway or pavementit is recommended that it should be done before the winters to avoid the higher costs associated with seal coating during winters. Ideally, taking care of seal coating right before winters prevents you from causing serious damage to your asphalt and keeps the cost of the whole process to a minimum.

Looking for an asphalt contractor for your seal coating project in Central Texas? Contact Integrity Paving & Coatings for a free consultation and quote today.

Schedule your free, on-site consultation and estimate today! Call Integrity Paving & Coatings at (512) 853-9009 or get your quote online.

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