Is It Too Late To Seal My Driveway?

 As the fall approaches, everyone who has left finding a residential driveway sealcoating service provider in Chester County, PA, until the last minute might be asking themselves: is it too late to get my driveway sealcoated?

How Regular Sealcoating Helps Driveways Last Longer

Sealcoating a driveway plays a crucial role in keeping your home looking its best, but it becomes more difficult as temperatures drop. Regular sealcoating application can help extend the life of your asphalt. Getting the professionals to come out and properly sealcoat your driveway before the winter comes makes sense for multiple reasons.  Here are the main reasons you want to hurry if you want to get your driveway seal coated before the winter:

Fall Presents Special Dangers

Early fall is an excellent time to sealcoat because there isn’t much humidity, but the temperature range remains high enough to cure the material properly. However, as you get further into fall, things become a little harder to predict. The biggest issue is whether your driveway will cure adequately, but even something as simple as falling leaves can create inconsistencies in the layers of protection for your driveway. Average fall and early winter temperatures make it more difficult for pavers to get the sealcoat layer down without issue.

The Curing Process Changes

With the fall comes cooler temperatures, and while this doesn’t make sealcoating impossible, it adds some difficulties. Sealcoating generally needs to happen when night temperatures are 50 degrees or higher, preferably with increasing temperatures.  The heat helps the materials appropriately set, offering a protective layer to your asphalt against use by heavy vehicles. However, in the autumn, temperatures are generally falling, which means that the seal coating may not have enough time to set properly before cars begin to use it. As we get deeper into the fall, temperatures begin to fall below 40 degrees Fahrenheit at night, which can significantly affect the seal’s ability to fully cure. With colder winter temperatures throwing the curing process off, scheduling a sealcoating application for the early half of October will help sidestep any potential temperature issues during overnight curing.

There Might Not Be a Contractor

Autumn may not be too late to sealcoat, but you may not be able to find someone to do the job. Generally speaking, the seal coating season runs from April 15th to October 31st, which means that many contractors try to book as many appointments as they can, as quickly as they can. Finding an open booking time may prove difficult the later into the sealcoating it gets.  While it’s certainly possible to find an experienced seal coating expert during the last months of the season, you should take a little more time to ask questions and do your research to make sure you’re working with a reputable company. Sealcoating your driveway is best done before the winter months, but knowing when it’s too late to do the job is a different issue entirely. To find out more about when to sealcoat your driveway, or get a quote for commercial sealcoating maintenance services in Philadelphia County, PA, call the Superior Seal Coating team today!