You are probably familiar with the old sayings about the value of an ounce of prevention and the savings that can result from a stitch in time. Although these adages may sound trite, they are actually quite relevant when it comes to your asphalt pavement. Asphalt contractors know deferring repairs or neglecting maintenance will result in increased costs and a shorter life for the pavement. If you want to maximize the return on your pavement investment, you will want to address problems as quickly as possible.
Asphalt Repair & Potholes: Why Sooner Is Better
How Quickly Will Asphalt Pavement Need Repairs?
Assuming you chose a reliable asphalt paving company to install your pavement and do not subject it to overloading or other abuse, your pavement should be in good condition for at least its first few years of life. During this time, your pavement may not need any repairs and little in the way of routine maintenance. Keep it clean and apply fresh sealcoating according to the schedule that your paving company recommended. However, even during the early years, you should conduct regular inspections of your pavement. This will help you identify potential problems, but it will also give you a baseline that you can use to evaluate your pavement’s condition as it ages.
What Are Some Types of Critical Asphalt Repairs?
The most critical issues are those that involve breaks in the surface of your asphalt pavement. If you spot any of the following issues, contact a asphalt company that offers paving maintenance and repairs.
• Although you should expect some small, superficial cracks to develop in the surface of the pavement, any crack that has a width or depth of more than a quarter of an inch deserves a phone call to one of the many asphalt companies that offer repairs. In all likelihood, those cracks will only get deeper, wider and longer. As the cracks expand, they will allow water to leak under the pavement and damage the foundation. A damaged foundation typically leads to potholes, sinkholes, alligator cracking and/or pools of standing water.
• Potholes rank second on the list of pavement breaks that you are likely to encounter. Most large potholes start out small, so if you repair them quickly, they will not have the chance to grow it gaping chasms that damage vehicles or trip pedestrians.
• Alligator cracking is a serious problem that can be costly to remedy. Most of the time, alligator cracking is the result of a damaged foundation. To repair a foundation, asphalt companies must first remove the alligatored pavement. After rebuilding the foundation, they install new asphalt.
• When inspecting pavement that has previously been repaired, it is important to check the integrity of the repair. A working crack can sometimes expel the fill material, for example, or a patch may begin to crack.
MH Greeson Paving can help you maintain the integrity of your asphalt pavement. We provide asphalt maintenance and repairs to customers in Marietta and North Georgia, including Atlanta. Our services include asphalt sealcoating, crack repairs, pothole repairs, asphalt paving, traffic sign installation, parking lot striping, bollards and pavement marking. Our customers know that they can count on us for exceptional quality at affordable prices. We offer free quotes, so request yours today by submitting the online form or calling 770-335-2983.
