Asphalt is one of the most cost-effective paving options, but you don’t want to replace your asphalt pavement more often than necessary. The most common cause of premature asphalt failure is poor maintenance. One key part of maintenance that should never be overlooked is repairing cracks in your pavement.
WHY IS ASPHALT CRACK REPAIR ESSENTIAL?
Water is one of the biggest threats to asphalt. Whether it’s from rain, melted snow, or ice, water can seep into cracks in your pavement. From there, it works its way down, reaching the layers beneath the surface. This water can weaken the foundation that supports your pavement, leading to bigger issues like potholes, alligator cracking, and sinking. To avoid costly repairs or the early failure of your pavement, crack repairs should be a regular part of your driveway or parking lot maintenance.
WHY SHOULD YOUR CONTRACTOR PERFORM ASPHALT CRACK SEALING BEFORE WINTER?
As we mentioned, water that enters cracks can cause damage. This damage gets worse if the temperatures drop and the water freezes. As the ice expands, it can put pressure on the asphalt and the foundation, worsening existing cracks and even causing new ones. The best way to fix most cracks is to seal them, but crack sealing typically requires pavement and air temperatures of at least 45°F. If you wait until winter to repair cracks, your contractor may have to use cold-pour materials, which are less flexible. These fillers can’t expand or contract with the pavement as temperatures change. Although cold-pour crack filling offers some protection against water, it doesn’t last as long and can develop new cracks or peel away from the crack over time.
CAN CRACK SEALING REPAIR EVERY TYPE OF CRACK?
Crack sealing works for most types of cracks, but there are situations where a different repair method is needed. For example, alligator cracking—where cracks form a pattern of interconnected “scales”—usually requires removing the damaged asphalt and repairing or reinforcing the foundation before adding new asphalt.
WINTER PREPARATION TIPS FOR ASPHALT MAINTENANCE
#INSPECT EARLIER BEFORE WINTER
Get ready for winter before it arrives. Fall is the best time to inspect your pavement and take care of any maintenance issues. You can do this yourself, but hiring a professional can help catch problems you might miss. Professionals have the tools and knowledge to spot even the smallest issues, which could turn into bigger problems later on. Left untreated, cracks can grow, and the cost to repair them increases.
#KEEP PARKING AREA & DRIVEWAY CLEAN
Cleaning your parking lot or driveway might seem like a simple task, but it helps more than just the look of the area. Cleaning allows you to spot potential issues like small cracks or potholes before they become serious. This gives you a chance to fix them early.
#CHECKING THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM
For a crack free parking area, you need an adequate drainage. Both Crack Filling and Crack sealing should be possible to prevent from water damage, which arises as a risky situation in the months of winters.
You ought to have your drainage system inspected before the start of winter season, to avoid standing water. You can investigate this during and after rainstorm. Assuming that you experience any issue, you can contact any professional paving company and can get the solution.
#REPAIR CRACKS
At the point when you are preparing up the driveway and parking, then repair cracks are the primary thing one needs to do. Cracks are damage which has proactively happened, this can’t be rewind yet can be repaired; if left they can soon be identified as one of the major issues.
#ASPHALT CRACK SEALING
When you experience a crack then the most ideal way to determine is asphalt crack sealing. It utilizes explicit constituents that ties the walls of crack. Furthermore, other reality is that it expands and contracts with the pavement which prevent water intrusion and different materials in the crack.
It is designed explicitly to be versatile at low temperature so the crack won’t open and stable at high temperature it doesn’t exploit on the pavement.
At Asphalt Experts, we’re committed to providing top-quality asphalt services that protect your pavement and extend its life. Contact us today to ensure your driveway or parking lot is ready for whatever comes next!
Trust Asphalt Experts – Your Partner for Asphalt Care Excellence in Utah
Clearfield