Learn how to repair a sinkhole in your parking lot.
Your parking lot is an important, yet often overlooked, part of your business. It is a place where you can offer clients, customers, or employees a safe, hassle-free place to park when they visit. But sometimes, even our parking lots have issues- and one of the biggest is the sinkhole. Continue reading to learn how to repair a sinkhole in your parking lot.
What Is A Sinkhole?
A sinkhole is a gap in the soil, usually under pavement, that forms due to erosion. This erosion could be caused by heavy rainfall, though in urban areas the cause is more often a burst water main, which often runs under the roads. The water eats away at the underlying soil until it creates a large void. Without the soil to support it, the “roof” of this void (usually a road) caves in on the opening below. The result from the surface is a huge hole that appeared out of nowhere.
It’s important to note that a sinkhole is not the same as a pothole- a pothole is a failure of the pavement where the asphalt breaks away in chunks or is worn down over time.
Why Are They An Issue?
The sinkholes that make the news are often large enough to swallow a whole car, but most sinkholes are not that extreme. Sinkholes can appear in parking lots for the same reasons they appear in roadways, the soil under the lot has been eroded away. Most parking lot sinkholes are small– think the size of golf balls to basketballs– and often appear close to buildings or walkways or around catch basins. Like any other hole, a sinkhole can be a liability, so you need to get them repaired as soon as possible.
Repairing Sinkholes
It is not enough to simply fill in a sinkhole and patch the asphalt, because the cause of the problem (the erosion) will still be there, potentially making the problem worse. If the sinkhole is near your catch basin, it may be a sign that it is damaged or not working correctly. It could also be a sign that the pipes leading from your catch basin have corroded or burst. Be sure to have your catch basin inspected before having the hole filled and repaired.
If the sinkhole is near walkways, it is even more important to repair it since it is a major tripping hazard. If it appears under a concrete slab, you may be able to jack the slab up and fill in under it to level it. You will still have to find the source of the erosion first. If they appear near your building foundation, the stability of your whole building could be impacted, and you should have an immediate safety inspection done. Sinkholes near buildings are often a sign that your drainage system isn’t working correctly, so you should have that inspected before filling the hole.
Maintenance You Can Trust from PTG Enterprises
If you want to protect your pavement and ensure it has a long lifespan, choose PTG Enterprises for your community sidewalks, parking lots and pavement maintenance needs. We offer commercial concrete, asphalt, masonry, paving, consultation, and survey report services 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: My Pavement Guy, Parking lot, Pavement Maintenance, PTG Enterprises, sinkhole
