Asphalt Pavement Repair and Maintenance Checklist

Asphalt pavements are among the most common options for many parking lot and driveways in residential homes. Most homeowners have a repair and maintenance checklist for their homes that cover the indoors and outdoors. However, some facilities around the house might not be effectively covered by the checklist. As such, this article will highlight some of the repair and maintenance that should be done to asphalt driveways, pavements, and parking lots.

Asphalt Sealing Coat

Asphalt is a known tough covering used to build roads, pavements, and driveways. Asphalt is a natural by-product derived from crude oil that is black in appearance and can be in liquid or semi-solid form. The material can nonetheless be affected by salt, other oils, gas, and the natural processes of oxidation. Hence, many asphalt pavements and driveways have a protective seal-coat. The coat, which is more of bitumen, is a weatherizing measure taken to plug up all cracks to prevent water from seeping in and causing the pavement or driveway to unravel. This should be down after every six months or once each year depending on the traffic patterns, the weather conditions, and degree of wear and tear.

Filling Cracks

Based on the fact that frequent traffic on asphalt driveways and pavements is almost inevitable, it is important to carry out routine inspections for cracks, at least once every 6 – 12 months. The size of the cracks determines what counteractive measures can be taken. For cases where the cracks are wide, applying bitumen will do the trick while small cracks can be dealt with using a seal-coat. Cracks that are close to a meter long will require major repairs that might include the removal and replacement of the damaged section.

Dealing with Potholes

Potholes tend to occur when water permeates through the small cracks on the surface of the pavement. The soil underneath the cracks softens with time and eventually gives in creating a depression; this combines with wear and tear will in time see the asphalt unravel and break down into particles leaving a hole. The best time to handle potholes is during the warmer months, and it is best to call in the professionals to come handle the job.

Repairs or Replacements?

It might not be that easy to tell if an asphalt driveway or pavement requires just repairs or is in need of a do-over. One way of knowing it is time to replace the pavement is when repairs are frequent and not far in-between. It is better to replace the pavement, which will be cheaper than the many, frequent repairs that will not offer a last solution. Make sure you check spikersasphalt.com for more information and any needed help.