Suppose you take your car in for an oil change. The mechanic tells you that the oil pan gasket is showing signs of degradation and needs to be replaced. You are pressed for time, however, so you promise to schedule the repair as soon as possible. However, you lead a busy life, and there just never seems to be a good time to let your mechanic take care of the job. It is much easier to just add a little oil occasionally. The puddles under your car keep getting larger, so you need to add more oil to compensate. At least, you think you are compensating for any potential loss of oil. One day, you are cruising down the highway when your engine seizes. Fortunately, you are not injured, but your car has suffered a catastrophic failure. Instead of a few hundred dollars for a relatively minor repair, you will need to pay thousands of dollars to have the engine replaced or overhauled. This is just one example of how delaying minor repairs can lead to major financial consequences, pose potential risks, and cause you a great deal of inconvenience. You could face similar consequences if you postpone your asphalt repairs.
Why Waiting Can Be Expensive
What Are Asphalt Repairs?
In general, any procedure used by a paving maintenance company to mend a break or flaw in an asphalt pavement is considered a repair. Some examples of repairs include asphalt crack sealing, removing and replacing areas of alligatored asphalt, and patching potholes. Pavement and parking lot maintenance procedures include sealcoating, pavement marking, routine cleanings, signage, and car stop repair or replacement. Because there is some overlap, many parking lot maintenance companies also offer repairs, including pavement crack sealing and pothole repairs. This is because experienced sealcoating and striping contractors know that their efforts will be in vain unless repairs are made first.
If Asphalt Repairs Are Delayed, What Happens to the Pavement?
First, any damage will continue to worsen until effective repairs are made. A small crack can grow longer, wider, and deeper, spawning new cracks and potholes. At this point, your repair costs will be higher than they would have been earlier. However, if you continue to postpone repairs, your costs could skyrocket. Every break in your pavement allows water to enter, percolate through the entire structure, and eventually reach the base layers. Water inflicts damage on the base that weakens and destabilizes the foundation on which your pavement relies for its flexibility and strength. Sections of the pavement can subside, leading to alligator cracking and potholes. Over the winter, freezing temperatures can exacerbate the damage. Within a relatively short period, you will likely need to have all or most of your pavement overhauled or replaced.
Will Routine Asphalt Paving Maintenance Help Avoid Repairs?
Professional maintenance can help prevent much of the damage that the sun, traffic, age, and other forces can inflict. Hire a reputable paving maintenance contractor to inspect your pavement every spring and again in the fall. Early detection and remediation can lower your repair costs. Some of the essential services you should consider are asphalt crack sealing, sealcoating, pothole repairs, drainage issue corrections, and routine pavement cleaning to remove automotive fluids, dirt, and debris.
Contact MH Greeson for Assistance
If you are interested in saving money on your asphalt pavement repairs, contact MH Greeson. We are one of North Georgia’s most highly respected parking lot maintenance companies, and we have built an impeccable reputation that is based on the exceptional quality of our work and our exemplary dedication to customer service. Our services include asphalt crack sealing, parking lot striping, asphalt repair, sealcoating, car stop installations, traffic signage, and bollard installations. We offer free quotes, so submit your request by filling out the online form. If you would rather call us, the number for our Marietta office is 770-335-2983.
