When you decide to pave a driveway, you have several options to consider. While choosing the type of asphalt and the company to do the job, you should also think about sealcoating.
Asphalt sealcoating is designed specifically to improve the integrity of your asphalt pavement and ensure its longevity. While it’s not required, adding a sealcoat to the pavement can save you time, money, and effort.
Some homeowners try to save money by avoiding the sealcoat or putting it off for later. However, by doing that, they are risking repaving in the nearest future. Let’s take a look at what can happen if you don’t seal your asphalt driveway.
1. You Could Lose Money
While saving money is one of the reasons why homeowners avoid sealing, doing so could result in unexpected and sizable expenses. Since avoiding a sealcoat makes your asphalt vulnerable to damage, you should be ready to repave it in several years. Let’s do some simple calculations.
According to Home Advisor, the average cost of paving a driveway is about $4,000. Meanwhile, the average cost of sealcoating is about $480. If you sealcoat the driveway every two years, it can last 20 years without repaving. This means that in 20 years, you’ll spend about $4,800 on sealcoating.
Without a sealcoat, your asphalt may not even last 5 years. But even if it does, repaving it every 5 years will cost you $20,000 over 20 years.
Accordingly, if you don’t seal your driveway, you can lose more than $15,000.
2. You May Need Regular Repair
Sealcoating keeps your asphalt from being damaged. Even the smallest crack in your pavement can turn into a pothole. That’s why it’s imperative to repair the slightest damages timely.
Without a sealcoat, you would need to repair your asphalt pavement every season to keep water and oil from sinking into the pavement. While time-consuming, such repair could end up being costly.
According to experts from CSG Sealcoating, Jacksonville, not all cracks can be repaired on your own. You would need regular attention from an asphalt repair company. Over the years, the expenses can really add up.
3. Asphalt Will Lose Aesthetic Appeal
Doesn’t fresh asphalt look extremely aesthetically appealing? The rich black color improves curb appeal, making your property look fresh and new.
However, with time asphalt color begins to fade, turning grey and losing its attractiveness. When the driveway looks grey and old, the entire property suffers.
A sealcoat adds freshness and richness to the original asphalt color, making it last longer. Every time you reapply the seal, the fresh color comes back again and stays for a long while.
If you decide to save money and ignore the sealcoat, you may not be happy with what your driveway will look like in just a few months.
4. Asphalt Will Require More Maintenance
When your asphalt doesn’t have a sealcoat, it gets damaged by water, sunlight, and chemicals. To make sure they don’t damage it to the point where you need to repave the driveway, it’s imperative to inspect the surface as often as possible and clean it the moment something spills.
Since such close maintenance is time-consuming, many homeowners start avoiding it whenever possible. As a result, cracks and holes appear, leading to high repair expenses.
5. You Can’t Enjoy Peace of Mind
Paving a driveway isn’t cheap. When homeowners pay several thousands of dollars for asphalt, they want it to last. If you don’t opt for a sealcoat, you have to constantly worry about your driveway getting into a bad shape and needing repair. This is hardly something that gives you peace of mind.
By opting for a sealcoat, you give your driveway extra protection. This way you don’t have to worry every time you spill something on it or heavy rain comes.
Final Thoughts
Asphalt sealcoating isn’t an expensive service. By opting for it, you are giving your driveway extra protection against moisture, UV rays, and chemicals. While avoiding it could save you money now, it will cause extra expenses in the long run.
Consider sealcoating your asphalt right after paving and reapplying sealcoat every two to three years.