Keeping a parking lot clean and in good condition ensures customers are safe and enjoy their visit. Every entrepreneur that’s serious about encouraging foot traffic should make a habit of observing this complete maintenance checklist for your parking lot. Though it may not seem like it, a parking lot is a big part of a business’s overall appearance in the customer’s eye. To ensure your customers have a positive experience, take the outside of your business just as seriously as the inside.
Clear Away Obvious Messes
Before it’s possible even to assess the state of a parking lot, it’s essential to clean it up properly. The first order of business is to pick up any loose litter. If trash tends to be a recurring issue, consider setting up trashcans at key points in the lot, along the property line, and near the entrances. It’s also good to regularly power wash the lot to clear away oil spills and other messes that pose potential hazards and detract from the lot’s cleanliness. Finally, if the lot is also beginning to show its age in the form of loose debris, it’s good to routinely sweep away any larger messes to ensure they don’t become tripping hazards.
Check Fixture Conditions
This complete maintenance checklist for your parking lot would be incomplete without mentioning the state of fixtures. The types of fixtures found in different lots ultimately depend on the nature of the business. While not every lot has or needs cart corrals or similar fixtures, just about every lot has details such as signage and bike racks. All corrals must be adequately fixed to the ground to avoid vehicle damage in heavy winds and storms. Heavy snow tends to result in signs and post bending or coming loose from the asphalt over time. Damaged signs must be replaced, and bike racks correctly bolted down.
Restore Fading Markings
A parking lot is little more than an empty space without proper marking. However, the type of markings needed to restore a lot differs depending on the region. For instance, parking lot striping in Austin, Texas, looks different from that of the Midwest and other cold or rainier areas. The reason behind this is that different weather conditions affect different types of paints in unique ways. For instance, Texas and other warm regions tend to use yellow or white pigments to help reduce the damage done by sun-bleached colors. Different colors will likely need more frequent refreshing to keep the hues accurate and directions legible.
Plan for Larger Repairs
Over time, even the best-maintained parking lots start to crack and fade. You can deter much of this decay with regular sandblasting to keep the surface smooth and free of tripping hazards. Resurfacing the space with fresh asphalt also helps reduce the need for extensive overhauls. Eventually, though, potholes and major cracks will occur. It’s crucial to repair these quickly and effectively to maintain a beautiful and safe parking lot that’s inviting to all visitors.