Did you know potholes are a leading cause of injury within parking lots? The weather causes wear and tear within the asphalt leading to fissures, forming hazardous holes that trip people.
Ideally, you should maintain your parking to prevent potholes and other damages. However, things deteriorate despite people’s best efforts, and parking garage repairs may be unavoidable.
Keep reading to learn the difference between repairs and maintenance and why garage maintenance matters. We’ll also discuss what maintenance and restorations you can expect to perform in the parking area.
Parking Garage Repairs Vs. Maintenance
You could argue the difference between repair and maintenance is timing. You repair things once they’re damaged or broken. Maintenance is to keep objects functional.
We can use your cell phone as an example. Some of you reading this probably invested in a case and screen protector to keep your phone from breaking and scratching.
You can ruin or crack your phone without a protector or case. The next trip or fall may lead to the screen or outer casing breaking, and you’re now stuck considering repairs for the electronic device.
Why Garage Maintenance Matters
Unlike your phone, your parking area can’t go without repairs for too long. Rain, snow, heat, cold, and the weight of many cars bombard the garage yearly.
Allowing the elements and daily life to ravage your parking area without maintenance can drastically decrease its lifespan. You can theoretically live with a broken screen.
Your garage, on the other hand, can’t go without proper care. Here are some of what you can expect to happen if you don’t maintain your parking garage:
- Potholes
- Broken tendons (steel elements within prestressed concrete)
- Deteriorating walls and columns
- Cracking beams and joints
- Malfunctioning expansion joints (they absorb thermal movement)
- Cracked or misaligned wheel stops
- Cracked or damaged stairs
Once you see these damages, it’s crucial to fix them. Parking garage repairs need addressing quickly so they don’t worsen. A slightly deteriorated column could lead to catastrophic failure.
Types of Parking Garage Restoration and Maintenance
Plenty of parking garage restoration work includes structural work like re-strengthening damaged walls and columns with epoxy and restoring concrete.
Repair work may also involve replacing missing or ruined signs. Maintaining a parking structure can range from smaller jobs like checking drainage, sweeping away debris and grime, and checking for oil stains.
Too much grime can create cracks. Oil from leaky cars weakens asphalt and makes it easier for water and dirt to wear the surface away. More involved forms of maintenance include:
- Waterproofing (keeps water from penetrating concrete)
- Traffic Coating (prevents wear from road salt and traffic)
- Deck Coating (keeps the deck from elemental damage)
Don’t Lapse on Your Parking Area Maintenance
Garage maintenance acts as preventive care. However, despite your best efforts, you’ll need to fix something eventually. When the time for parking garage repairs comes, it’s best to leave them to professionals.
Restoration Technologies Inc. operates throughout New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Contact us for an evaluation and consultation today. RTI offers many commercial parking garage restoration services.
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