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Managing your Parking Lot Portfolio

Published by Karen on April 24th, 2013

Parking lots, along with roofing and HVAC, are a large capital expense and require maintenance.  Just like a leaking roof or broken air conditioner, a parking lot littered with potholes will negatively impact your customers.  Unlike other areas of your property, the parking lot is the very first and last encounter for your customers.  If your store strives to achieve a seamless customer experience regardless of location, success depends, in large part, on the condition of your pavement.  When customers leave your facility, what is the final and lasting impression they hold?  If your parking lot is in bad shape, it is probably not very positive.  Managing your pavement inventory and budgeting in advance for cost-effective, proactive maintenance will help ensure that all of your parking lots stay in good condition.  This, in turn, reduces potential liabilities and enhances your overall store image.

For many years, the paving industry has promoted pavement management planning or PMP to help facility professionals optimize pavement maintenance for multiple parking lots.  The goal has been to prolong the functionality of each structure over an extended period of time.  While PMP is still an important tool for any facility manager, it alone cannot produce real-time condition reports and projected costs for an entire parking lot portfolio.  An inventory management system can fill in the gaps and provide valuable benefits.  With an inventory, it is possible to track pavement condition for multiple sites without even leaving the office.   Furthermore, maintenance history and repair recommendations can be logged to assist with budgeting for and scheduling future preventative or structural maintenance.  This article discusses four steps to implementing a proper and effective parking lot inventory management system. Read more…

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Crack sealing & Lot marking: Timing is Everything

Published by Karen on February 6th, 2013

Winter is here and some of your parking lots may already be covered in snow, but that does not mean they should be buried on your checklist.  In fact, winter is the perfect time to budget and plan for springtime parking lot maintenance repairs.  In particular, crack sealing should be at the top of the list.  Why?  In simple terms, the answer is water.  Wet weather throughout the winter months wreaks havoc on your pavement. Melting snow or rain seeps into cracks and softens or weakens the sub-base.

Hot-pour material is injected into and over a crack.

During temperature fluctuations, common in winter and spring, water that is trapped beneath the surface can widen cracks and even cause pavement heaving.  If left untreated, cracks can quickly spread to adjacent areas and worsen with heavy traffic loads.  Not only is this unsightly in terms of curb appeal, it is also dangerous.  Crack sealing your lot is the solution and it is four times more cost effective than patching.  But, the key is timing and regularity of the procedure.

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Seasonal Pavement Preparations

Published by Karen on January 23rd, 2013

Regardless of your location, asphalt and concrete repairs can and should be addressed throughout the winter months to prevent the spread of problem areas and to mitigate potential liabilities.  After all, just one slip-and-fall injury could result in costly litigation, increased insurance premiums, and worst of all–a tarnished image.

The following procedures and treatments can be performed on your parking lot this winter.  Understanding your options will help you to make better decisions concerning the maintenance of your parking lot during cold-weather months and it will help you budget for long-term repairs in the spring.

Patching – Depending on the size, severity, and geographic location, potholes may be patched or the area may be removed and replaced.  If your parking lot is located in a mild winter climate and hot-mix asphalt (HMA) is readily available, removal and replacement is the best, long-term solution and it can be completed right away.  However, if your parking lot is located in an extreme winter climate where harsh weather conditions and/or the unavailability of HMA are factors, treatment with cold patch can be completed as a temporary repair. 

Infrared – This solution uses hot-mix asphalt instead of cold patch.  Damaged asphalt is heated to 325 degrees for 5 or 10 minutes, raked to remove failed aggregate, and sprayed with a rejuvenator to replenish lost oils due to oxidation.  Once the material has been placed, it is compacted by vibratory plates.  Learn more about the Infrared repair process here!

Crack sealing – The best time to seal is when cracks measure 1/4-inch to 1-inch wide.  Sealing cracks prevents excess moisture from seeping into pavement and softening or weakening the sub-base.  If your property is located in a mild climate, avoid the potential risk and seal all cracks in sidewalks and other high-traffic areas immediately. Read more…

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Article: Achieve Remarkable Results with an ADA-Compliant Parking Lot

Published by Karen on May 30th, 2012

This excerpt is from an article published in the April/May 2012 issue of Retail Facility Business Magazine.

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is more important now than ever before.  Not only is lack of compliant ADA parking designations or truncated warning domes, for example, considered a liability which may result in personal injury, but it is also in direct violation of the law.  It is a common misconception that all buildings older than 1990 are “grandfathered,” and do not have to comply with the federal requirements of the ADA.  This is not true.  In fact, all building owners are mandated (as of March 15, 2012) to comply with Title III of the ADA, which specifically requires the removal of any and all barriers to entry in order to guarantee that persons with disabilities are provided accommodations and access equal to the general public into commercial facilities and areas of public accommodation.  Building owners, facility managers, and even landlords can be jointly liable for violations including not adhering to “path of travel” standards, incorrectly constructing curb ramps, and excessive slope in ADA parking spaces.

Enacted to ensure uniform compliance with standards for the benefit of those with disabilities, the scope of the ADA encompasses everything from the width of doorways and force required to open them to the use of Braille in elevators to assist the visually impaired.  Standards for parking lots in particular include an adequate number of accessible parking spaces along with properly designed access aisles and routes to the entrance for the disabled.  Ramps and sloped areas must be constructed at accessible entrances.  And, detectable warnings on pathways should be present.  Signs and accessory markings must also be in place to designate all accessible areas.  Striping a parking lot, therefore, is important not only for aesthetics, but it is also imperative for ADA compliance.

What can you do?  Don’t get caught on a “slippery slope” when it comes to your parking lots.  If you own or manage properties that fit into either category—public accommodation or commercial facility—you are responsible for ensuring that your parking lots comply with the ADA regulations.  Examples of public accommodations include all retail and specialty stores, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, entertainment complexes, and sporting venues.  Commercial facilities include office buildings, factories, and warehouses to name a few.

Read more…

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Green is the New Black: Sustainable Seal Coat for your Restaurant Parking Lots

Published by Karen on March 14th, 2012

This excerpt is from an article first published in Restaurant Facility Business Magazine in February/March 2012.

As any restaurateur knows, seal coating is an important part of a parking lot maintenance plan.  Seal coating fills surface voids, which delays oxidation and protects against UV rays and reduces the depth to which oil or gas can penetrate the pavement.  A sealer acts as a waterproofing agent, minimizing the rate at which water enters pavement.  Without it, water can permeate more freely resulting in freeze/thaw expansion and contraction of the pavement.

Perhaps most important, a properly sealed asphalt structure can last as much as double a similar area that is left untreated.  Considering the uncertain future cost of replacing asphalt compared to the minimal cost of seal coating, the choice to perform this preventative maintenance procedure is clearly a better return on investment.

Thankfully, due to the ever-growing green building movement, there are alternative products on the market.  Some of which may even qualify for various LEED® credits, depending on the project.  One such option involves the use of a bio-based sealer.

Bio-based sealers are soy based and contain no petroleum, making them a uniquely sustainable alternative designed specifically to maintain and preserve asphalt pavements.  When applied regularly, every three to five years, bio-based solutions yield significant advantages.  Some of these benefits include: cure time of 60-90 minutes, no tracking, cost effective, reduces moisture penetration, and it is carbon negative.  Once applied, the sealer works deep into the asphalt matrix, penetrating on average 0.75 to 1.25 inches deep.  There is also no need to restripe after application, which saves the hassle of extended parking lot down time and expensive labor.  It also helps maintain the skid resistance that deteriorates as asphalt wears down over time. Read more…

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