Straight answers about asphalt.

A thin protective coating over asphalt that takes the UV, water, oil and gas so the binder underneath does not. It slows the drying-out that turns a driveway gray and brittle, and it is maintenance, not repair.

Every two to three years for most residential driveways. Annually is too often, and there is a real cost to overdoing it.

Late spring to early fall, when the pavement stays above about 50°F day and night and the forecast is dry for 24 hours. In Delaware and Chester County the window closes around the end of October.

Keep feet off for 4 to 6 hours and cars off for 24 to 48 hours. Cool or humid weather stretches both.

No. Cracks wider than about a quarter inch need rubberized crack filler and potholes need patching, both before any coating goes down.

Cleaning the surface, treating oil stains, clearing vegetation from the edges and filling cracks — all before the coating. On your side, the driveway has to be empty of cars and everything else.

The coating itself does not need you there. What it needs is an empty driveway, your cars parked somewhere they can stay for a day or two, and a way to reach you if a question comes up.

Keep it clean, get oil and gas spills up quickly, and have new cracks filled while they are still small. Most of what shortens a driveway’s life is water and chemicals sitting on it.

Some of it. Sealcoating waits for spring; crack sealing, patching and sawcut repair run all winter.

COI with additional insured, W-9, PA registration, three references, SDS sheets and a sample condition report.

Against one written scope. Three contractors describing three different jobs cannot be compared on price.