It’s not odd to grow attached to the health of your asphalt pavement; after all, it has literally supported you across distances with a smooth ride. It’s natural to want to be protective about your asphalt investment. The more you maintain it, the faster you can make up for the initial costs of installing the pavement. Your repairs also run low, saving you more on balance.
Now, asphalt is no doubt the most durable and economical solution for paving surfaces. Still, it’s not indestructible and calls for some head-pats to keep it fighting against ‘evil’ eroding elements. Seal coating, overlays, depth repairs, crack fillers and patching techniques exist for the sole reason to keep your asphalt operational and resilient. It’s the slacking on regular asphalt maintenance that becomes the problem.
Like a good physician, Doctor Asphalt has compiled quite the list of problems that asphalt needs to fight off, but not without your help!
You do know that water and asphalt are not friends. When water starts seeping into small asphalt cracks, the free/thaw boogeyman comes and expands these cracks even further, causing deterioration. Poorly graded surfaces are also to blame for allowing water to accumulate on the surface, causing skid hazards.
Grade your asphalt to the required surface run-off slope. Seal coat your asphalt with best-practices & invest in EPA-approved porous asphalt concrete pavement in areas where poor soil drainage causes water retention.
Yes, the sun affects your asphalt the same way you would expect skin cancer to mar your hide. Excess heat dries out and degrades the oils in the asphalt over time. It may seem like alligator cracking, but it’s actually sun damage in the absence of water intrusion. The sun’s rays can also break down asphalt on a molecular level so that it loses its binding ability and starts to dust off.
If you can invest in a high-end sunscreen, then you can surely invest in a good quality UV protection surface treatment called seal coating. The coats will not only protect your asphalt but will help it retain the essentials oils in its substance.
Rutting, corrugation, slippage, potholes, and even raveling can be attributed to the effect of heavy vehicles on the improperly designed mixed pavement. If these issues arise in new pavement, then you have a big repair job on your hands.
It’s pretty simple; you hire a paving contractor with a long & successful track record. This will ensure the pavement is designed with a clear distinction between commercial and industrial load-bearing capacity.
Without diving into the complex behavior of hydrocarbon particles, oil dissolves oil. Asphalt is an oily compound, so if you leave oil deposits on the surface, they will compromise the asphalt and break up the aggregate binder. Also, oils on asphalt surfaces won’t let your seal coats stick, making the entire endeavor a waste of resources.
Inspect your asphalt, blot the oils with sand, wash the asphalt, dry it, then apply surface treatments.
Asphalt repair or running diagnostics for damage is not that complicated once you have trained yourself to notice the creep of destructive elements. Catching onto asphalt damage in the earlier stages ensures your pavement lasts longer, which is precisely the plan at Doctor Asphalt.
We offer a wide range of repair & maintenance options for the health of your asphalt in Fitchburg, WI. We are fully operational in asphalt patching techniques & seal coat types best suited for the Wisconsin weather.
Please feel confident to ask for free quotations on our pavement services!