It is not hard to maintain asphalt
When you go out driving you really do not think about the asphalt road you are driving on. You are not worried about the man hours put into creating these roads or how much is spent on maintaining them.
But once you put asphalt on your driveway or place of business, you suddenly become aware of the cost as well as the need to maintain your property. Asphalt is not cheap and depending on the size of your drive way and other factors, you are looking at spending roughly $5,000 or more.
Learning how to maintain your asphalt driveway is important and to do that you just need to continue to read our article on Asphalt.It is the first in a series and it gives you an overview on how to maintain your asphalt driveway.
Our article will also explain what asphalt repair or pavement preservation is and give you a run down on some of the different techniques used to preserve asphalt. All you have to do is spend a few minutes reading our article, so you know what needs to be done on your driveway.
What is pavement preservation
If you want a technical definition then pavement preservation is best summed up as ‘ a long term strategy employing a systematic approach which uses cost effective methods to upgrade the performance and extend the life of the pavement.’
In words, paving contractors use the cheapest yet most effective way to keep your asphalt driveway in top shape, so you do not have to spend a lot of money in replacement costs.
Governments have to do this over the approx. 4 million miles of asphalt roads they own and you will have to do it as well. The good news is that you can do your repairs yourself or you can hire one of the many paving companies to do it for you. There is even more good news. You have a few different techniques you can choose from to use.
The benefits of asphalt repair
The first thing you need to realize is that nothing last forever.There will come a time when you will have to replace your driveway or road. But until that time, you can still keep your driveway or road in top shape andlooking good with the right asphalt repair technique.
Here are some benefits you receive when you use the right paving contractor to repair your asphalt:
- Save money- it may not seem like it but the money you pay now will help you save later
- Lower oxidation- oxidation is a process that dulls the look of your asphalt. Repair work keeps it looking great
- Keeps your asphalt looking new
- Regular repairs helps the asphalt last longer
- Impresses your visitors or clients
Pavement preservation techniques
Before you hire a paving contractor, you should know a little bit about the different techniques so you know what goes on during your repair process. A little self knowledge helps keep your costs down and your contractor honest.
Here are some of the different techniques employed by good paving contractors:
#1. Crack sealing and filling-
If you can count on one thing with an asphalt road or driveway is that weather conditions will help crack your pavement. What this technique does is seal those cracks before water can seep down and ruin your driveway’s, etc., foundation.
This technique should be done as soon as you see cracks appear so that further damage is avoided. Once you have sealed the cracks, you should keep vehicles off of your driveway, etc. Until the sealant has cured.
The drawbacks to this method is that it shouldn’t be done on wet asphalt or when there is a lot of other damage to your driveway, etc.Make sure to apply it when the temperature is 40 degrees F and above.
#2. Fog seals and asphalt rejuvenators-
This technique has the asphalt rejuvenator added to the fog seal to soften it up and make bonding a lot better. This application is best used when oxidation is a problem as it adds another layer of protection to the asphalt.
Also, fog seal helps seal up those tiny cracks that are hard to see protecting your driveway, etc., from future damage. It also fills in tiny spots smoothing the surface out ad keeping it protected from any possible use damage.
Water damage is reduce by making sure that water can’t pool up on different parts of your driveway, etc.
#3. Seal treatments
These come in a variety of formats and their purpose is not to repair structural damage. They are more of a surface fix that deals with minor cracks, holes and other issues. Those cracks should be less than 1/4-inch-wide for these treatments to work effectively.
Plus, they should not be used on potholes, sever ruts or even surface striping problems. The chips need to be clean and be able to adhere to the asphalt well or there may be issues with broken windshields.
As with other techniques you do not want to over apply the liquid, or the chip seal may not work for you.
#4. Micro-surfacing and slurry seals
As the name implies, this is not a major fix technique, but it does do a good c=job on handling minor issues that will crop up and cause you a lot of expense if not taken care of right away.
The micro surfacing does a good job on ruts, and for leveling surfaces, among other applications. Slurry seals are a one-time application and neither processes work to improve the structure of the driveway, etc.
You can do the crack seal technique then apply the slurry seal after wards for better asphalt protection. Micro surfacing can be appliedin temperatures 50 degrees F and above and it sets quickly, letting you reopen your road or driveway in about an hour.
#5. Thin overlays
This technique applies a thin layer of [pavement over a prepared surface. Once applied it helps protect against skid resistance ,rutting, and other pavement issues. If you have minor cracks, some rutting, friction loss and some weather issues.
These types of options are not good when your asphalt problems are beyond the minor stage. Before applying these thin overlays, you should have the 1/4 inch + cracks sealed first. If your ruts are over 1/4-inch-deep,then you need to use a different technique first to get rid of those ruts.
