6 Asphalt Driveway Repair and Maintenance Tips |
Posted: June 20, 2018 |
Asphalt driveways seem to have an extremely high integrity and a long life. However, without proper repair and maintenance, the pavement may give out in just a couple of years. Whether you are planning to pave the driveway from scratch or have just purchased a house with an asphalt driveway, you need to know how to take care of it. We asked experts from a Florida-based pavement company to share the most important asphalt driveway repair and maintenance tips for home and business owners. 1. Sealing And Re-Sealing Your Asphalt DrivewaySealing asphalt pavement is an unavoidable maintenance procedure if you want the surface to be smooth and problem free. Sealing is done every 2 to 4 years, depending on how heavily the pavement is exploited and how much sun exposure the asphalt is under. Don’t seal the asphalt right after installation. The material needs some time to cure before the sealing. Sealing too early can lead to deformation and damage. Wait a minimum of 6 months after the installation to seal your driveway. 2. Timely Crack RepairingIt may seem as if the little hairline cracks in your asphalt are nothing to worry about. However, all of them have an excellent growth potential. Overnight, these cracks can turn into holes and gaps, making the asphalt repair costly and time-consuming. As soon as you see even the smallest crack, you should call an asphalt supplier and buy a crack sealer. Ideally, you should already have one in your garage. The sealer can close the crack and keep it from widening. The sooner you seal the crack, the less money you’ll spend in the long run. You may also want to consider crack filling. 3. Oil Leak ProblemsAsphalt is an oil-based pavement material, which is prone to damage from oil and gas. If for some reason your car has an oil leak, you shouldn’t park it on the driveway until it’s fully repaired. Avoid carrying canisters with oil around the asphalt pavement. If the leak occurs, make sure to eliminate it immediately. Oil can dissolve the driveway surface, leading to costly repairs. 4. Edge ProtectionWhile asphalt is a reliable driveway material, it has a few weak points. One of them is its edges. The edges are very easy to damage. That’s why you need to think about protecting them. Asphalt edging material is a way out. It should be available from your asphalt supplier. Avoid applying pressure on the asphalt edges. Try not to drive over them. 5. Replacing Damaged SectionsIf the damage to your asphalt pavement seems considerable, don’t try to solve it by filling in the holes. Large holes won’t be repaired by sealers. They will continue growing, making your asphalt useless. In case of a substantial damage, remove a section of the asphalt and replace it completely, together with the subgrade. Allow the new asphalt section to settle before using the driveway. Don’t forget to seal it. 6.Repairing The PotholesPotholes are dangerous to the asphalt integrity since they collect water, which causes damage. There are many ways to fight potholes as soon as they occur. One of them is replacing an asphalt section. However, if the pothole is smaller than an inch in diameter, you may want to consider a variety of pothole fillers readily available from asphalt manufacturers.
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