If contractors design and install an asphalt pavement correctly, it will be smooth and attractive. It will provide a comfortable, quiet ride, and it will not pose any potential hazards to pedestrians. It should also enhance a property’s curb appeal and have a long life if given sufficient maintenance. However, you might want to remember that summer is the best time for asphalt paving Atlanta parking lots and thoroughfares.
Why Is Summer the Best Season for Asphalt Paving in Atlanta?
There are several reasons why asphalt paving contractors prefer summertime installations. However, the two reasons that are most relevant for Atlanta asphalt paving jobs are the available hours of sunlight and the effect of heat on an asphalt mix.
Why Does Sunlight Matter for Asphalt Paving in Atlanta?
You have probably witnessed an Atlanta asphalt paving company installing pavement at night, especially on interstates and other highways. You might have noticed that the asphalt paving company brought powerful floodlights so that workers could see and be seen more easily. Thus, these lights help ensure a high-quality installation, but they also enhance safety in and around the work zone. However, an experienced asphalt paving contractor will tell you that installing asphalt paving at night can present certain challenges. For example, it can sometimes take longer to complete a job at night, and there is the potential for workers to overlook mistakes that affect the quality of the work. Furthermore, the longer days of summer mean that an Atlanta asphalt paving company can accomplish more every workday. Workers can start earlier and work later, and this flexibility can help reduce disruptions to your business. It may also save you money by reducing the number of times the asphalt paving company must transport employees, equipment, and supplies to the site.
How Does Heat Affect Paving in Atlanta?
Before answering this question, it might help to explain a little about asphalt paving in general. An asphalt paving company purchases truckloads of what is known as a mix from a production plant. In virtually all cases, the production plant delivers the mix to the site at the times specified by the asphalt paving contractor. Workers then spread the asphalt, rake it, and compact it, repeating the process multiple times to achieve the predetermined overall thickness.
1. Asphalt paving must be hot enough to be worked and adequately compacted.
2. Production plants ship Atlanta asphalt paving that is at a very high temperature.
3. Inevitably, the mix will cool somewhat during the trip between the plant and the job site, and the greater the distance between the two points, the more heat the mix can lose.
4. The hot days of summer help prevent the mix from cooling excessively before it arrives at an Atlanta asphalt paving job site.
5. When an asphalt paving contractor spreads the mix to install a course, a thermal exchange will occur until the mix and the ground reach an equilibrium.
6. The lower the temperature of the ground, the faster the temperature of the mix will decrease. This shortens the time available for the mix to be worked and compacted.
7. In summer, the sun raises the temperature of the ground more than it can in the other three seasons. This gives workers more time to rake and compact the asphalt mix before it cools excessively.
8. If excessive cooling occurs, the mix can become lumpy, affecting the quality of the job. The surface may retain water, or it may ravel in a relatively brief time.
The Surface Masters is a well-respected Atlanta asphalt paving company that specializes in parking lots. Our services include Atlanta asphalt paving and resurfacing, asphalt repairs, sealcoating, milling and reclamation, crack sealing, pavement markings, and concrete work. We have earned an immaculate reputation for superior craftsmanship and exemplary service. Submit your request for a free quote by emailing Info@TheSurfaceMasters.com, completing our online form, or calling 770-250-6392.
