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Routine maintenance is critical to the long-term care of your asphalt pavement. Sealcoating in South Jersey is among the most important, helping to protect your pavement against the elements, accidental spills, and other damaging factors. However, you can’t just hire contractors to apply asphalt sealer at any time. Like other forms of asphalt work, application conditions and timing can make or break success. Read on to learn more about the ideal time for applying parking lot or driveway sealer.

When Is the Busy Season for Asphalt Sealcoating Companies?

Sealcoating in Bridgeton NJ is not a year-round affair. While parking lot and driveway sealer can help protect blacktop surfaces all year long, application is only possible when the weather is reliably warm and dry. While driveway sealcoating costs are manageable for most property owners and managers, attempting to execute this service in inclement weather could result in lackluster protection, wasted money, and compromised safety.

For that reason, sealcoating companies are careful about when they schedule service appointments. Most South Jersey sealcoating companies offer this service only during spring and summer. The busy season typically runs from late spring to early fall. Exact start and end dates vary, but the sealcoating season usually runs from May through to September.

What’s Considered Ideal for Sealcoating in South Jersey?

Let’s review what experts consider ideal for sealcoating an asphalt driveway or parking lot and why. As mentioned earlier, warm and dry is the name of the game. However, there are limitations.

The best time to apply sealer to an asphalt driveway or blacktop parking lot is when temperatures are around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, humidity is below 50 percent, wind speeds are between 3 and 5 MPH, and there is no chance of precipitation. In those conditions, the sealer will cure properly and adhere to the asphalt paving with minimal issues.

You see, asphalt sealers cure via evaporation. The best South Jersey sealcoating companies will prepare the sealer by adding a precise amount of water and sand. Once applied, the water content slowly evaporates, leaving the protective asphalt coating behind.

In conditions that are too hot or too cold, the sealer will struggle to cure. When it’s too cold, evaporation slows. The sealer may not cure at all, instead flaking and peeling off. When it’s too hot, the sealer may flash-cure before it gets a chance to penetrate the surface. Successful sealcoating in Bridgeton NJ is about finding the right balance, with asphalt sealcoating companies keeping a close eye on the weather forecast to ensure optimal results.

What Conditions Are Acceptable for Sealcoating in South Jersey?

Fortunately, sealcoating companies don’t have to wait until the temperature is exactly 70 degrees Fahrenheit. There’s considerable wiggle room. Every sealer product used has its own unique application guidelines. However, the best asphalt sealcoating companies will use premium formulations, which typically perform well with the following conditions:

• Temperature: High-quality sealers can cure in temperatures as low as 50 to 55 degrees. Anything lower, and the sealer won’t cure. Contractors trying to save on driveway sealcoating costs may use lower-quality products, but these often perform worse and have stricter temperature guidelines.
• Humidity Levels: Most manufacturers don’t provide guidelines for humidity, but experts typically agree that relative humidity levels should be below 90 percent for proper curing.
• Wind Speeds:Around 3 to 5 MPH is ideal, but sealcoating companies can still see success with slightly higher speeds of up to 10 MPH. Anything more, and the sealer may create a mess and cure unevenly.
• Sun Exposure: To make your driveway sealcoating costs worth it, contractors aim to apply the product on days with at least 4 hours of strong, direct sunlight. Providing service on overcast days may lengthen the cure period.
• Precipitation: There should be no chance of rain or snow during application and the days that follow.

Is It Possible for Contractors to Apply Parking Lot or Driveway Sealer in the Winter?

Because wintertime temperatures are frequently below that 50-degree threshold, sealcoating is not possible. Reputable sealcoating companies may provide other services during the winter season, offering temporary repair solutions. However, they’ll schedule your service in the spring to avoid wasted asphalt driveway costs and inferior finishes.

It’s important to remember that, even on unexpectedly warm days, sealcoating companies can’t provide service. That’s because asphalt sealers take up to 48 hours to cure. While there might be a few warm days throughout the season, nighttime temperatures will drop below the accepted temperature threshold. Therefore, the sealer won’t cure.

When you need sealcoating in Bridgeton NJ and other communities throughout South Jersey, turn to JP Storey Contracting. We’re among the most experienced and trusted South Jersey sealcoating companies, bringing over three decades of experience to your property. With a dedication to quality and reliable customer care, you can trust us to meet your needs, do things right, and produce amazing results.

That applies to all our services, including repairs, crack repairs, parking lot striping, ongoing maintenance, and more. Get in touch today to learn more and receive your free quote. You can reach the JP Storey Contracting team by calling (856) 353-8880, emailing jpstoreycontracting@gmail.com, or submitting your information through our online form.