Property owners prefer asphalt over other paving materials due to its durability and versatility. Asphalt is used to pave driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, and other areas around properties. However, as asphalt ages, it develops cracks, potholes, and other deformities that need to be repaired before they worsen and lead to further complications.
Asphalt repair is an essential but often overlooked aspect of asphalt pavement. Regular maintenance and timely repair are vital for the longevity of your asphalt pavement; there are several tips you can follow to take care of your pavement. In this blog post, we will discuss five tips on maintaining your asphalt in order to maximize its longevity.
1. Inspect the Pavement
Before thinking about any repairs, you should determine the exact nature and extent of damage to your asphalt pavement. Then, depending upon the severity of the problem, you can choose an appropriate remedy. For example, if there are cracks and potholes, their size determines how bad is the damage; minor cracks mean that the damage is only on the surface, whereas wider cracks signal possible foundation damage.
2. Clean the Damaged Areas of the Pavement
With a repair job in front of you, you might want to jump right in, but you should clean the damaged area before beginning any repair activities. Cleaning the pavement involves removing weeds, loose asphalt or gravel, and power washing the surface.
3. Filling the Cracks
When the pavement has only minor linear cracks, you can fill them using asphalt filler. Plan the asphalt repair in spring or fall because the mild temperature helps in settling the asphalt. First, you should fill the cracks with the cold filler and then heat it using a blow torch so that the filler melts and completely seals the cracks.
4. Remove the Damaged Areas
When there is considerable damage on the pavement, the whole damaged area should be removed, including the subgrade. After completely removing the damaged area, you should have it repaved. This is a job for professionals; hire a professional contractor, such as The Pavement Group in Minneapolis, MN, for asphalt repaving.
5. Asphalt Overlay
If there are scattered cracks on your pavement, you can’t fill up each crack individually. In such a situation, an asphalt overlay may be the most appropriate solution. An overlay means laying a new layer of asphalt on top of the existing layers to cover the widespread deterioration.
Regular maintenance of your asphalt pavement keeps it in good shape and provides a useful life of 25 years or more. However, despite following the regular maintenance schedule, the pavement will deteriorate over time and require repairs. If you stay on top of it and make repairs promptly before the problem worsens, you can avoid spending a significant amount of money on repair projects.
The Pavement Group in Minneapolis, MN, can help you with a full range of pavement management services, including asphalt paving, sealcoating, asphalt repair, crack sealing, project management and consulting, etc. Get a free pavement quote now.