Most people understand that it can be too cold to apply sealcoating. They know that sealants will dry at a much slower rate when the temperature drops, and they also know that reducing the hours of sunlight that the pavement receives can impact the curing time. Therefore, it is logical to assume that the long, hot days of summer are ideal for sealcoating. However, there are many summer days when it is too hot to achieve successful results without some extra effort on the part of the sealcoating contractor and his crew.
When Is It Too Hot for Sealcoating? What Are Ideal Conditions for Sealcoating?
The companies that manufacture sealcoating test their products under a range of conditions. They determine the minimum and maximum tolerances for their products as well as what constitutes ideal conditions. Ideal conditions include an ambient temperature of 70 degrees and a humidity level of less than 50 percent. In the Kansas City area, the average temperature normally exceeds 70 degrees from late April until sometime in October. The average humidity level is above 60 percent year-round. Therefore, paving contractors in this area know that ideal days will rarely occur, so they look for days with conditions that are acceptable.
What Are Acceptable Conditions for Sealcoating?
Most manufacturers recommend that the temperature should be at least 50 degrees and no more than 90 degrees. There should be a light breeze, and no precipitation should be forecast for at least 24 hours. However, experienced sealcoating contractors routinely complete successful applications of sealants when the temperature is above 90 degrees and the humidity is 70 percent or more. They will need to take some extra steps, but a competent sealcoating contractor knows how to adjust for heat and humidity.
How Do Contractors Compensate for Heat and Humidity?
The steps that your contractor will take to compensate for marginal conditions depend on a number of factors. For example, he must evaluate whether he needs to address the humidity, the temperature or both issues. He must assess the scope of the work and the time available to complete the job. After considering all factors, your contractor may employ one or more of the following methods.
• If extreme heat is the primary issue, he may choose to wet the pavement to cool it down. The water will evaporate quickly, allowing the sealcoating job to proceed.
• If the relative humidity is extremely high, he may decide to add a little less water to the sealant mix. High humidity levels slow the rate at which water can evaporate from the sealcoating mix, so reducing the amount of water that must be evaporated will expedite the curing process.
• Heat and humidity can both be addressed by ensuring that the application rate is appropriate. A thin layer of sealcoating will dry much faster than a thick layer.
• If possible, your contractor may want to apply the asphalt sealcoating early in the morning. The pavement is often coolest around dawn, so completing the application before the pavement has a chance to heat up again may be an effective solution.
• Your contractor may alter his recipe for sealcoating mix. For example, he may incorporate additives or choose a different aggregate to help control evaporation.
All Pro Asphalt is an asphalt paving company servicing Kansas City and our goal is to deliver work that will leave our customers completely satisfied. Our services include sealcoating, asphalt crack filler, parking lot striping, concrete services, infrared asphalt restoration and asphalt paving. We have an impeccable reputation and exemplary references. If you are interested in receiving a free quote, submit our online form or call 816-249-6800.
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