What Temperatures Are Too Cold for Asphalt Sealcoating Contractors to Work?
Cold weather can take a toll on asphalt pavement. Freeze-thaw cycles, snowfall, road salts and snow plow activity can cause significant stress on your asphalt paving. Luckily, sealcoating in Chicago offers your pavement protection to make it through the cold season. Regular sealcoating can extend the life of your paved surfaces, mitigating the risk of damage. But what if you need sealcoating during the winter? Asphalt sealcoating contractors must be mindful of weather conditions when performing this service. Typically, wintertime sealcoating isn’t possible. Read on to find out why.
What Temperatures Do Asphalt Sealcoating Contractors Need to Deliver the Best Results?
Chicago asphalt sealcoating contractors need warm and dry conditions to work. It’s not about personal preference or comfort. The sealers used for asphalt sealing in Chicago require specific conditions to bond to your pavement. Formulations vary, but most products perform best when applied when ground and air temperatures are around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Parking lot sealcoating is possible in colder conditions, but there’s a limit. Most manufacturers don’t recommend asphalt sealing in Chicago if temperatures dip below 50 degrees. As temperatures drop, Chicago asphalt sealcoating contractors face increasing challenges. Many contractors will work into the late fall and early winter. Still, with temperatures frequently dropping below that 50-degree threshold, sealcoating companies must stop providing this service once the coolest part of the season sets in.
It’s important to remember that the 50-degree cusp applies to nighttime temperatures, too. Asphalt sealcoating needs to cure for 24 to 48 hours after application. Therefore, for sealcoating in Chicago to be successful, conditions must remain consistently above 50 degrees for at least a two-day window.
Why Is Parking Lot Sealcoating So Impacted By the Weather?
Weather is an important factor to consider for asphalt sealcoating in Chicago because of the curing process and the sealer itself. Sealers are asphalt emulsions containing up to 60 percent water by volume after preparation. Once applied to your pavement, the water content in the products used for asphalt sealing in Chicago will slowly evaporate as it cures. This process leaves behind the asphalt, allowing it to bond to your pavement for lasting protection.
As temperatures decrease, the rate of evaporation slows. If it reaches the freezing point, the sealer won’t cure at all. Instead, it’ll freeze in place. Slow evaporation and freezing result in lackluster protection and an unattractive finish. For sealcoating in Chicago to succeed, contractors must wait until it’s warm and dry.
What Other Conditions Affect How Asphalt Sealcoating Contractors Complete Sealing Projects?
It’s not just the temperature that can ruin asphalt sealcoating. Humidity levels and precipitation can also interfere with asphalt sealcoating in Chicago. Contractors prefer humidity levels to be no higher than 60 percent. The forecast should also show zero chance of rain or snow. Rainfall can wash away the sealer, leaving a patchy mess. It also ruins the sealer formula, leading to inferior all-around protection. The same applies to melted snow.
Contractors pay close attention to the weather forecast before performing parking lot sealcoating. They consider all factors, including temperature, humidity, sun exposure and wind speed. Experts will take those factors into account to schedule an application date that ensures stellar results.
Let Black Hawk Paving handle all your asphalt sealcoating needs. We’ve been in business for 50 years, offering top-notch service that sets the standards for the entire asphalt maintenance industry. We continually invest in our team and equipment, using high-quality materials and premium sealers to raise the bar for asphalt sealcoating in Chicago. Black Hawk Paving is also available for new paving, repairs, milling and overlays, concrete curbing, parking lot striping, pavement markings and more. Whether you have a straightforward sealcoating project or require more logistically sensitive services, we’re here to serve.
We’re eager to show you why we’re among the top Chicago asphalt sealcoating contractors. Call Black Hawk Paving today at (708)787-8765, email info@blackhawkpaving.com or use our online form to reach the team and get your free project quote.
