Cracking, crumbling and fading are inevitable with an Asphalt driveway but they don't have to be as quick to set in as one would think.. Driveways are a big investment for any homeowner and getting it to last longer is not to difficult or costly. A good sealcoating will go a long way at helping you preserve your investment. Here are 7 reasons why you should protect and sealcoat your driveway in NJ:
1. It seals out moisture
Water is one of the biggest causes for cracks and damage to your driveway (especially during the winter months when temperatures go up and down around the freezing mark). If the driveway is not sloped in the right way or does not have proper drainage, water will just sit and be absorbed into the asphalt and eventually cause cracks. A good sealcoting will help keep the water out and prevent cracks. In cases where cracks are already present, they should be filled in prior to sealcoating for the best results. Specialty crack fillers are available in tubes and jugs that can be applied to cracks less than a half-inch wide. For anything larger than a half-inch, an asphalt patch material should be used instead. A good sealcoating contractor will always fill the cracks first.
2. It helps your driveway last longer
The average asphalt driveways last anywhere from 12 to 20 years (depending on the quality of the installation and the upkeep). Concrete driveways and paver driveways typically last longer (30 years +) but are much more expensive (could be twice the price of asphalt) and therefore rarely chosen by most homeowners. Without sealing an Asphalt driveway, the UV rays from the sun, rain, snow and ice will begin to start taking it's on your driveway in las little as 5 years after installation, causing cracks, potholes, bumps and fading. For my driveway, I sealcoated for the first time after about 3 years and have been sealcoating it every 2 to 3 years since. The driveway in my Watchung New Jersey home is about 9 years old and It still looks like new!
3. It protects against oil and other types of chemical spills
Almost every driveway gets exposed to oil leaks, coolant leaks and other types of chemicals. If you change your own oil or have contractors coming in and out, there is bound to be spills on the driveway that will stain and cause the asphalt to deteriorate faster. I recently had a delivery van drop off some packages and when he left, there was a puddle of coolant that got left behind. Unfortunately I didn't clean it up right away and it left a terrible stain. It was even starting to Thankfully I was able to power wash it off and sealcoat over the remain stain so it is no longer noticeable.
4. It makes the driveway easier to clean
A fresh new sealcoat on your driveway will allow the water and debris to be easily washed off. A good rain on a properly sloped driveway could be enough to clean it off. When asphalt breaks down, it exposes the rock material more which tends to trap dirt and debris. A sealcoat application on top will help smooth out the surface and make cleaning your driveway much easier.
5. It accelerates the melting of Ice and Snow
Sealcoatings thick rich black color will help attract and absorb more of the suns rays, heating up the asphalt and keeping it warmer longer. Don't get me wrong, I am not claiming you won't ever have snow or ice because of this application, but on those light snow days or rainy days when the temperature is hovering around freezing, snow and ice will definitely melt faster. This is one of the reasons I often recommend people sealcoat in the fall before the colder weather sets in. This benefit is usually greatest in its first few months when the color is it's darkest.
6. It makes your driveway look better
After a few years, the suns UV rays begin to break down the asphalt. The dark rich black color you loved starts to fade looking more grey. You also begin to notice the rocks in the asphalt as the oil in the asphalt mix begins to breakdown. A fresh seal coat application (we always recommend two coats for best results), will bring back that nice rich black color and make your driveway look new again.
7. It saves you money
In the New Jersey area where I live, the price of an asphalt driveway seems to be somewhere around $5 to $6 a square foot. The average 2 car driveway is somewhere around 600 square feet, so that would make the cost to replace an asphalt driveway between $3,000 to $3,600 dollars. Sealcoating by a professional typically will only cost a few hundred per application and therefore well worth the investment. Don't get me wrong, sealcoating won't eliminate the need to redo your driveway someday, but if applied regularly, it can help prolong the life of your driveway and buy you many more years from your existing driveway. I have seen some homeowners get 20 to 25 years out of a driveway that is sealcoated every three to four years.
So if you haven't selacoated your direveway or are overdue for another coast and live in either Union, Morris or Somerset county New Jersey, please feel free to reach out for a no obligation quote for sealcoating at (732) 322-7466 or email us at info@jlbottone.com.