It is human nature to be reactive rather than preventive. People go out, buy a brand new car, but may be hesitant to take preventative measures to make it last. Essentially, you can let asphalt surfaces fail or you can extend their life by seal coating them periodically.
Water, air, and other factors will cause oxidation breaking down asphalt. Depending on the quality of the asphalt, it may last 20+ years contingent on its use and other environmental factors. Other factors such as the soil and/or the foundation upon which asphalt is built on will affect the life of the pavement. However, an important factor of asphalt pavement is maintenance.
Seal coating existing asphalt pavements every 2-5 years is a great solution to prevent damage. Depending on the condition of an asphalt surface, other solutions like a slurry seal or an asphalt overlay may be necessary. Generally, seal coating is the least expensive preventive solution to maintain an asphalt surface.
Like a car, an asphalt surface may fail completely with time if not maintained properly. Money will be spent on an asphalt surface eventually regardless of whether it is today or tomorrow, it all depends on how much money people want to save. Additionally, like car companies, asphalt companies vary in quality and reliability. At Alaniz Construction Inc. quality is important and we want your car to run smoothly on our roads.