Asphalt is a popular material used in driveways because it is cheap, easy to install, looks very neat and is quite durable under heavy weight while also being able to survive inclement weather. However, all of those features have a caveat: to ensure that your asphalt driveway lasts as intended it needs sealcoating. Asphalt sealcoating is a very common process that needs to be done at regular intervals to ensure that your driveway survives as long as possible, and here are a few ways in which it will help to do this without you ever having to lift a finger.

Tough Exterior

The sealants used in sealcoating are all exceptionally strong and provide a great barrier against both blunt force objects (such as the car tires) as well as from organic waste like twigs, leaves, rocks and more. It will also help make the asphalt survive better throughout the wetter weather, and just generally act as a shield to keep the more malleable and easy to disturb asphalt underneath safe. Without this tough exterior, the asphalt is much more open to being cracked and driven apart by natural wear and tear that you would expect a driveway to experience on a daily basis.

Compact It All In

You will often see potholes and other inconsistencies occur in asphalt driveways that are not sealcoated (or that have had their sealcoating fade away after many years) because it acts as an adhesive to keep everything together. After all, asphalt is not a singular block of material but rather a whole bunch of little pieces that need to be held together. Sealcoating prevents these blemishes while also making your driveway look like a million bucks because of the more pristine surface reflection. If you are beginning to see some small potholes, it may be time to preemptively get some asphalt sealcoating done.

Goodbye Snow And Ice

Another lesser-known fact about asphalt sealcoating is that it helps speed up the process in which snow, ice, and frost melt so that your driveway remains clear in the winter. Without asphalt sealcoating, winter can be the most dangerous season for asphalt because this frozen water slowly seeps into the cracks and weakens the overall structural integrity. With sealcoating, the asphalt has a much better chance of making it through these tougher climates without you continuously needing to shovel snow off of your driveway in freezing cold temperatures.