Questions & Answers

Q: Why should I Sealcoat my Asphalt?

A: Unsealed asphalt oxides from the sun and asphalt’s chemical structure is compromised when gasoline and oil is leaked onto the asphalt surface.

Q: How often should I seal my Asphalt?

A: Asphalt should typically be sealed every 3 years. However, it depends on the traffic volume of the asphalt. When the sealcoat begins to break down and the faded asphalt appears, it is time to be sealed.

Q: What happens if I Seal my Asphalt too often?

A: Asphalt that is sealed too often will lose traction and become slippery.

Q: When should sand be used in the sealcoating process?

A: Sand is very important to the mix design of sealcoating material because it restores traction to the surface of the asphalt. Beware of the asphalt maintenance contractors that do not use sand!

Q: What temperature should it be to Sealcoat Asphalt?

A: The temperature should be over 50 degrees farenheit during the asphalt sealing application.

Q: Should the sealcoat material be sprayed or brushed?

A: We have experienced that spraying the sealer performs a better job that lasts longer. With spraying you do not experience the unsightly brush marks when the asphalt sealer starts to fade. However, if the asphalt has many small surface cracks, it might be better to have the asphalt driveway brushed.

Q: Will the Asphalt Sealer effect my grass?

A: Absolutely not. Sometimes in the spraying process the edge of the grass will have traces of the sealcoat material. After this grass is trimmed or cut it no longer shows any signs of sealer and it continues to grow.

Q: Will the Sealcoat material get on my building or sidewalks?

A: All building structures and sidewalks are taped and the adjacent areas are cut in with brushes. Then skilled operators spray the material away from the structures into the cut in areas.

Q: What should I do if it rains immediately after the Sealcoating application?

A: It is essential for the homeowner to water down the siding with their hose after the rain has stopped. Then call us to come out to spray the affected asphalt again.

Q: Should my asphalt cracks be sealed?

A: All cracks ¼ inch or bigger should be sealed with tar. This prevents water from flowing into the crack and settling. When water settles into cracks it causes the base stone to settle as well. This is what causes further cracking in the asphalt. Once again, be very cautious of the asphalt maintenance contractor that does not provide pricing for crack repair. Please note: small surface cracks should not be sealed because there is not a deep enough pocket for the tar material lay into and the material will diminish rather quickly.

Q: When should my asphalt be replaced instead of sealed?

A: The rule of thumb is when the cracked area square footage is more than 35% of the total asphalt area. At this point it becomes cost prohibitive to fix the cracks. This money might be better spent towards a new asphalt resurfacing.

Q: How many coatings of Asphalt Sealer should be applied?

A: If your asphalt has never been sealed before we highly recommend (2) coats of sealer. This gives your asphalt a stable base coat that will last for many years. On the other hand, if your asphalt has been sealed with in the last 4 years, it usually requires only (1) coat. The exception to this rule is commercial asphalt. Asphalt with high traffic volumes should always have (2) coats of asphalt sealcoat applied.

Q: Do all Sealcoating Contractors use the same material?

A: No. All contractors mix their own materials at the supply houses. Some use only asphalt emulsion, while others use only Coal Tar emulsion. Many local contractors do not use sand or apoxy hardeners which enables them to quote jobs at much lower costs. Another trick of the trade is to excessively water down their sealcoating material. The average property owner or manager will never know the difference after application. Unfortunately, the sealing job will only last several months or 1 year maximum and the contractor is long gone with the money. So beware of the “low ball” pricing scams because in the asphalt sealing business you almost always get what you pay for.

   Just Seal It LLC is a full service asphalt maintenance and pavement marking contractor specializing in asphalt sealcoating, asphalt repair, asphalt crack sealing, line painting, thermoplastics, traffic sign installation, and car stops. Just Seal It LLC serves the following areas: York PA, Harrisburg PA, Lancaster PA, Camp Hill PA, Mechanicsburg PA, Hershey PA, Gettysburg PA, Hanover PA, Spring Grove PA, Shrewsbury PA, and Baltimore Maryland to Washington D.C. Please call 717- 855-7775 to request a free "no obligation" quote.