Flooding is a hazard to drivers and is very damaging to the parking lot. Keep reading to see how to stop flooding from occurring.
One of the most important aspects of a parking lot that is often overlooked is its drainage, which can quickly become the main focus with the expected excess of rainfall. Whether the parking lot flooding is natural or man-made, it is a hazard to drivers or pedestrians and is also very damaging to the parking lot. Even though the parking lot might seem like it’s in good condition on the surface, the pooling water will start to eat away the sealcoating and eventually allow water to seep into the pavement and begin to oxidize and deteriorate the pavement. Today we will look at procedures to put in place to deal with unexpected flooding in parking lots.
Parking Lot Drainage
Drainage systems are available to install underneath your sub grade. Water then runs into the subgrade and is simply drained to a lower gradient, negating potential flooding. This keeps your structure sound without having to account for excess water. In fact, always installing underdrains isn’t a bad idea in areas with very high rainfall. It’s much easier preventing structural damage than fixing it. It’s also wise to have your asphalt poured extra thick in areas where rainfall and groundwater levels are high. Water will interact with your surface, but you can do your best to mitigate the damage due to the extra thickness.
Sloped Asphalt Pouring
Probably the best way to keep water off your parking lot would be to pour the asphalt at an angle, so it develops a slope, which will create an artificial angle on your newly laid surface. The water will not develop into pools on your lot. Parking lots with steep enough grades are candidates for curb gutters, which funnel water into either a nearby storm drain or other low elevation ground. The curb gutters rely on gravity to move water, meaning it’ll take a combination of proper gradient and sub grade planning to make them work well.
Need help preparing your pavement? PTG Enterprises can help!
If you want to protect your driveway or parking lot and ensure it has a long lifespan, choose PTG Enterprises for your sealcoating and asphalt needs. We offer commercial concrete, masonry, asphalt installation, repair, and paving throughout Baltimore, Harford, Anne Arundel, Howard, and P.G. Counties. If you are interested in hearing how we can help you, contact us online or give us a call at (410) 636-8777. For more tips and tricks, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+, and Flickr.
Tags: asphalt, Asphalt Maintenance, My Pavement Guy, Parking lot, PTG Enterprises, Sealcoating
