1. Why Sweep a Parking Lot?
Asphalt Maintenance

2. Environmental Factors Risk Management Aesthetics
Reasons to Sweep
Asset Management
Environmental Factors
Risk Management
Aesthetics

3. Asset Management Enhance the Property Investment
Reduce Capital Expenditures
Increase the Longevity of Hardscape areas
Increase Longevity of Asphalt / Concrete, Sealcoat, Striping
Sand, dirt, and other debris are abrasive materials. The weight of vehicles driving across the abrasive material will act as an industrial sander shortening the life of your pavement
Power Sweeping air machines vacuum small particles of debris that act as abrasives on parking areas. This debris will deteriorate asphalt, striping, and sealcoat.
Sealcoat costs can range from $.15 sqft. And up. An average parking lot of 100,000 sqft can cost $15,000 to seal and an additional $5,000 to stripe.
By increasing the frequency of power sweeping, the life of the sealcoat and striping may be extended by as much as 20-30%. This may even increase depending on the location, environment and condition of the asphalt.
When dirt and sand are allowed to stay on pavement, they quickly start deteriorating the pavement material. This is especially harmful when dirt collects and weeds begin to grow. Their roots cause cracking in cement and asphalt.
Asphalt Overlay can cost $ sqft. Regular power sweeping may also extend the life of pavement, thus preventing frequent and costly repairs.
Interior Building Maintenance
The same abrasive debris on the outside is also the same debris tracked into businesses by shoes, shopping carts, two wheelers, etc.
This leads to the damage of carpeting and other flooring and is a major factor in driving up floor care costs (think spring cleaning)
Keeping Storm Water Systems Efficient
Drain Clogging Can Lead to:
Sub-base failure
Reduce catch basin cleaning
Flood prevention
Damage to buildings
Other Assets
Well maintained properties tend to decrease malicious property damage such as graffiti.
Illegal dumping is reduced
Reduces Landscaping costs – frequency reduces the possibility of debris in landscape

4. Environmental Factors
Manage Storm water
Sweeping one of the Best Practices for Managing Storm water run off
EPA compliance
Part of many cities “Green” Initiatives
Tax incentives
Reduces air born particles
Proactive management of increased regulation from Federal, State, and Local authorities
Rodent and Animal Control
Dirty areas (Dumpster Enclosures) attract rodent and other disease carrying animals

5. Risk Management Insurance Risk Reduce Liability
Slip and Fall Litigation
A documented proper sweeping plan can discourage frivolous lawsuits
Can also Protect you in legitimate lawsuits
The removal of loose debris improves vehicle braking time
Part of a Overall Property Maintenance Program to minimize exposure which also include snowplowing, landscape maintenance, asphalt maintenance, building

6. Aesthetics Enhance the Property Investment
The visual appearance of your property is a significant factor in where a customer chooses to visit
Imagine having surgery in a hospital with dirty floors.
Parking areas are where the customers derive their, “first impression”
Keeping a parking area clean is the best chance to make sure the customer “first impression” is favorable
Clean parking areas encourage visitors to be more careful where they discard their trash
Overall appearance of your facility has a direct impact on the attitude of your customers, visitors, and employees.
People like to patronize the successful. Clearly, all businesses would choose to have a clean parking area, all other considerations aside. The unwillingness or inability to keep a particular area cleaned projects an image of not being successful.
Poorly maintained exteriors projects to visitors that a business is operated poorly
Even the most beautiful landscape is of no consequence if the parking area is poorly maintained. (Think Disney!)
The professionalism of the local business community at large is a composite of the individual images projected by each of the businesses within it. When people have several places where they feel comfortable shopping in a particular neighborhood or township, traffic is increased throughout the entire general area.
Remodeled and new shopping centers and business locations tend to have a significant higher numbers of visits.
A clean parking area attracts and retains tenants
Higher market value for lease and purchased space
Shopping centers are finding maintenance of market share to be an increasingly competitive proposition. It's virtually impossible to develop or retain the desired competitive edge if the grounds on the exterior of the business are unkempt.