3 Reasons to Sealcoat Your Driveway

Thinking about sealcoating your driveway, but not sure if it's worth your time and money? Here are three reasons why it's one of the best decisions you can make for your asphalt driveway.

Reason #1: Sealcoating provides an extra layer of defense.

Asphalt is durable, but it's not invincible. Water, gas and oil spills, and the sun's ultraviolet rays can all call cause asphalt to deteriorate. Luckily, a fresh sealcoat adds an extra layer of defense to help protect against these elements.

Reason #2: A fresh sealcoat makes your driveway look better.

Is your driveway faded or riddled with small cracks? Sealcoating can repair minor surface damage and restore the deep black finish of a freshly-paved driveway – proof that it is just as visually appealing as it is functional.

Reason #3: Sealcoating offers a good return on investment.

Sealcoating your driveway is a relatively cheap process, often costing just pennies per square foot. Resurfacing or repaving your driveway, on the other hand, is a much bigger investment, and can cost upwards of $4 per square foot. Take into account that a routine sealcoating can double the lifespan of your driveway, and its easy to see why it is a sound financial decision.

Sometimes, unfortunately, sealcoating isn't enough. While it is a good solution for minor surface damage, deep cracks and potholes may require resurfacing from a professional contractor. If you live in Fairfield County, CT or Westchester County, NY, look no further than Roccie's Asphalt for all of your paving needs. Visit our website to learn more, or give us a call at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Meet the Roccie's Asphalt Team

Roccie's Asphalt Paving has been serving Fairfield County, Connecticut and Westchester County, New York for nearly 60 years. From driveways to parking lots and asphalt roads, no job it too big or too small. Take a behind the scenes look at our wonderful team that makes it all possible:

Founder: Rocco Engongoro

After serving his country in the armed forces, Rocco returned to America to begin a life at home. He knew he wanted to work with his hands, so he combined that with his love for Mother Nature and began working at a landscaping company. It was here that Rocco developed his skills in landscaping, masonry, gardening, and outdoor maintenance. In 1956, Rocco made the decision that starting his own businesses would be the best way to provide for his growing family, and Roccie's Asphalt was born.

Rocco is now in his early 90's and enjoying retirement by spending time with his family, gardening, and ballroom dancing. He his a longstanding member of the Piedmont Club and the Old Timers Athletic Association of Darien Connecticut, and attends many social social events.

President: Vincent Engongoro

Like his father, Vincent also joined the arm forces, serving honorable terms in both the Air Force and Army. Immediately following the end of his enlistments, Vinny returned home and began working for his father. Today, Vinny is the President and managing partner of Roccie's Asphalt and has served as the Vice President of the National Pavement Contractors Association. He has also been a guest speaker at the National Pavement Expo, and holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and Angie's List. In his off time, Vinny enjoys fishing and spending time with his wife in the Florida Keys.

Office Manager: Marietta Pultz

Marietta was born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut, where she graduated from Stamford Catholic High School. She joined Roccie's after working in various office management jobs in the area, and is a recipient of the Certified Contractors Network highly-respected “Office Manager of the Year” award. Marietta enjoys shopping for antique furniture, Broadway plays, and spending time with her husband and three wonderful children.

Foreman/Equipment Operator: Saul Michaka

Saul joined the Roccie's team in 2001 as an unskilled laborer, but quickly learned all of the skills needed to succeed at his job. Saul was able to work his way up from the bottom, and was promoted to foreman in 2006. He has graduated from the Blaw Knox Paving School, and completed several industry leadership and asphalt installation courses. Saul enjoys watching sports, race cars, and spending time with his wife and son.

Foreman/Equipment Operator: Dan Moran

Like Saul, Dan also started as an unskilled laborer, but showed an immediate desire to learn anything and everything, which led to his promotion to foreman. Since joining our team, Dan has attended various seminars and conferences provided by the National Pavement Expo. When he isn't working, Danny is enjoying the outdoors, fishing, hunting, hiking, and camping.

Let our team show you why we are the best that Connecticut or New York has to offer! If you are in need of any kind of paving job, visit our website or call us for a free quote at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Black is the New Green: 5 Eco-Friendly Facts You Didn’t Know About Asphalt

Every April 22, the world celebrates Earth Day. First observed in 1970, Earth Day is all about raising awareness and support for environmental protection.

In honor of this year’s Earth Day, Roccie’s Paving would like to shine the light on a little known fact about our industry: asphalt is one of the greenest materials on the planet.

Not green as in the color, obviously – asphalt is black. Green as in asphalt is one of the most environmentally-friendly materials on the planet. Take a look at these five stats that prove just how “green” black can be.

1. Asphalt is 100% recyclable.

Asphalt can be reused over and over again with minimal loss just through reheating. In fact, the asphalt in your driveway may have been roof shingles in a previous life!

2. Asphalt is the most recycled planet in the country.

More than 80 million tons of asphalt is recycled every year, making it America’s most-recycled material. For comparison, only about 2 million tons of plastic gets recycled every year.

3. The asphalt industry is constantly becoming more efficient.

Since 1970, pavement manufacturers have reduced emissions by nearly 100%, while still managing to produce over twice as much asphalt!

4. Asphalt saves taxpayers money.

Because asphalt is so durable, it requires less maintenance and repairs. Some estimate that this saves American taxpayers over $2 billion every year.

5. Asphalt can improve water quality. 

Porous asphalt is a type of pavement designed to let water flow through it. Not only does this reduce water runoff and allow the water to reach the soil, it also filters the water as it trickles through.

Nobody knows more about asphalt than Roccie’s. For nearly 60 years, we have been the most-trusted paving contractor in Fairfield County, CT and Westchester County, NY. From residential driveways to commercial parking lots, no job is too big or too small. Visit our website for more information, or call us for a free quote at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Spring Showers and Your Driveway: What You Need to Know

As a kid growing up, you probably heard that April showers bring May flowers. As an adult, spring storms are not so fun and harmless.

During this time of year, Fairfield County, Connecticut and the surrounding areas often experience heavy rainfall. If your home does not have a proper drainage system in place, this rain can cause leaking, flooding, and several thousands of dollars worth of water damage.

It's not just your home that is at risk, either. Your asphalt driveway can also incur damage from excessive rain. When left standing, water can penetrate the top layer of an asphalt surface and begin to deteriorate its base. If the temperature gets cold enough, this water can freeze and expand, causing cracks and potholes to develop.

This usually only happens if your driveway suffers from inadequate drainage. Whether due to natural causes (such as a hill on your property) or man-made errors (which generally occur during installation), your current driveway may not be prepared to handle large amounts of water.

As the spring season progresses, keep an eye out on your driveway. If you notice that water pooling is common, contact a professional service immediately to fix the problem and prevent long-term damage to your property.

If you need a hand getting your driveway ready for spring, the experts at Roccie's Paving are just a phone call away. Since 1956, we have provided homeowners in Fairfield County, CT and Westchester County, NY with professional asphalt drainage solutions. If you live in our service area, just call us for a free estimate at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Spring Clean Your Driveway With These 5 Steps

Spring has arrived, and this is the time of the year when homeowners are focused on their spring cleaning checklists. While you already know to clean the inside of your home, many people tend to neglect the outside. One often-forgotten area that needs a little bit of maintenance every year is your driveway.

Take an hour to give your asphalt driveway some much-needed TLC with this spring cleaning checklist:

1. Sweep debris away. Use a push broom to sweep away any loose debris such as leaves, dirt, and lawn clippings.


2. Wash it off. Even after sweeping with a push broom, dirt and other small particles could still be hiding in the crevices of your driveway. Normally, a garden hose with a high pressure nozzle attachment should take care of it. If not, you can use a power washer to blast the debris away, but you should exercise some caution and not get too close to the pavement with the spray tip. This can cause damage to the surface.


3. Scrub away the stains. If you've got any oil marks on your driveway, take this time to get rid of them. Not only are they unsightly, but oil stains can deteriorate the binding agent in your driveway. To remove them, apply a generous amount of cleaning agent (baking soda, dish soap, or powdered laundry detergent) to the stain and allow it to sit for five minutes. Mix warm water and more cleaning agent in a bucket, and use this solution to scrub the stain with a stiff-bristled brush. Once the stain is completely gone, use a hose to wash away the excess cleaning solution.


4. Patch any potholes. Potholes in your driveway are primarily formed during the winter months. Water from melting snow penetrates the surface of the asphalt, where it then freezes and expands, creating small cracks in your driveway which eventually grow into pot holes. Click here for step-by-step crack patching instructions for your asphalt driveway.


5. Apply seal coat. Asphalt Seal Coat should be applied to provide a uniformed surface color and help protect from future oil and gas spills. You can do this yourself, or hire a professional contractor to do it for you.

If your driveway is riddled with cracks and potholes, it may be time to consider surface maintenance (patching and seal coat), resurfacing, or even a complete repaving. Connecticut homeowners have turned to Roccie's Asphalt Paving for all of their paving needs since 1956. We have provided professional asphalt paving and masonry services to thousands of homes in Fairfield County, Connecticut and Westchester County, New York.

Call us today for a free estimate at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Reasons to Expand Your Driveway

Is your driveway currently meeting the needs of your household? If you find yourself with too little room for your liking, expanding your driveway is always an option. Here are four common reasons that homeowners may expand their driveway.

New Drivers in the Household

Do you have a teenager that just became old enough to drive? Or maybe you got a new roommate that is forced to park in the street? Whatever your situation may be, it is not uncommon for households to welcome in a new driver at some point – welcome them with a bigger driveway.

Parking Flexibility

If you have a driveway that is only wide enough for one vehicle, parking can quickly become a hassle. Cars must constantly be reshuffled, and people need to drop everything they are doing to move their cars so the person at the very front can leave. If you want more parking flexibility, widening your driveway is a great option.

Basketball Hoop Addition

Take a drive down any residential suburban street and you will see plenty of basketball hoops installed in people's driveways. If you have an up-and-coming sports star in your family, or just want a place to play the occasional game of “HORSE”, why not extend your driveway and add a basketball hoop?

RV Acquisition

For the free-spirited, cross-country adventurer in you, recreational vehicles provide a way to explore the great outdoors in style and comfort. The only problem is: where are you going to keep it? RVs take up a lot of room, so much so that most people can't fit one in their driveway in addition to their everyday cars. A driveway expansion can quickly take care of this problem.

So what are you waiting for? No matter what your reason is, a bigger, better driveway is just a phone call away with the paving experts at Roccie's Asphalt. We have offered high-quality paving jobs to homeowners in New York and Connecticut for almost 60 years! Call us today for a free quote at 888-88-ROCCIES.

Parking Lot Preventative Maintenance Tips

As a property manager, your asphalt parking lot probably isn't at the top of your priority list, but neglecting it will only cost you money further down the road. Properly maintaining your parking lot will not only save you money on future repair work, but a visually-appealing blacktop will also leave a strong first impression on your potential customers.

Follow these preventative maintenance tips to preserve your asphalt parking lot for as long as possible:

• Clean your parking lot every month. Washing away dirt, leaves, and other debris will help prevent staining and uneven fading.

• Be on the lookout for oil stains. If you do see one, clean it immediately using dish soap and water. If left to sit, the oil can begin to break down the surface of the asphalt.

• If you notice “birdbath” areas in your parking lot or other spots with pooling water, look into installing a drainage solution. Water is one of asphalt's biggest enemies, and will eventually lead to cracks and potholes down the road.

• All cracks should be professionally sealed as soon as possible. Cracks are usually caused by water penetrating the surface, freezing, and expanding. Although a small crack may not look like it deserves your attention now, it will continue to expand and cause more problems if it isn't sealed.

• Sealcoat your parking lot every 3-5 years. In addition to adding a protective layer to the top of the asphalt surface and effectively sealing small cracks, a fresh sealcoat will also make your parking lot look like new. A good sealcoating routine can double the lifespan of your parking lot.

• Always be sure to adhere to local regulations in regards to parking lot size, number and size of parking spaces, handicapped parking, etc.

Do you need a hand getting your asphalt parking lot in tip-top shape? The asphalt experts at Roccie's Paving are here to help! For almost 60 years, property owners and managers have depended on us to provide high-quality asphalt paving services for a reasonable rate. We serve Fairfield County CT and Westchester County NY, call us today for a free quote at 888-88-ROCCIES.