There are some things that are virtually guaranteed. For example, the sun will rise every morning, the tides will continue to be influenced by the moon, and all asphalt pavements will eventually develop at least one crack. The fact that your pavement cracked is not necessarily a cause for alarm, especially if your pavement is more than seven or eight years old. However, you should take the matter seriously enough to schedule an asphalt repair as soon as possible.
What Type of Asphalt Repair Is Needed for Cracks?
To determine the proper repair method, your paving maintenance contractor will consider the age of your pavement, the type of crack, the source of the damage, and the location of the crack. A well-built pavement should incur little or no damage during its first four or five years of life, so an installation error could be the underlying cause if you need an asphalt crack repair within a matter of months. Cracked asphalt in the paths receiving the highest volume of vehicles could be nothing more than normal wear if your pavement is more than seven or eight years old. The type of crack is also important. Is it an active or inactive crack? That is, does the crack’s size change over time, especially when subjected to the freeze/thaw cycle? Is the damage actually a series of interconnected cracks that create geometric shapes that are reminiscent of a reptile’s scales? This is called alligator cracking or alligatored asphalt. Based on an evaluation of your pavement, your contractor will normally choose crack filling, crack sealing, or asphalt patching.
What Is the Asphalt Repair Known as Crack Filling?
Crack filling is a technique in which crackfiller is inserted into a void after cleaning and preparing the space to accept the repair material, which is sometimes referred to as crack fill. In most cases, the crackfiller is confined to the interior of the void, but it is also possible that the material may extend a short distance around the crack. This method can be quite effective, especially for repairing inactive cracks.
What Is the Repair Known as Crack Sealing?
Crack sealing is often the preferred method of asphalt crack repair for active cracks. The crack sealer is a flexible material that can stay bonded to the walls of the void when the pavement moves in response to temperature fluctuations. Depending on certain specific factors, the crack sealant may cover little more than the crack, or the material may also be inserted inside the crack.
Is Asphalt Patching an Effective Way to Repair Cracked Asphalt?
Asphalt patching is often the only long-lasting way to repair alligator cracking. Most of the time, alligatored asphalt is the result of damage to the pavement’s supporting foundation, and repairing a damaged foundation requires removing the damaged pavement to gain access. Asphalt patching is sometimes used to repair multiple large cracks that have developed in a relatively confined area.
MH Greeson is a respected paving maintenance and asphalt repair company serving most of North Georgia. Our services include asphalt crack repair, parking lot striping, asphalt patching, car stops, ADA compliance, tennis courts, traffic signs, asphalt sealcoating, and bollards. We have an exceptional reputation for consistently providing outstanding customer service and exemplary work, but our rates are highly competitive. If you are interested in a free, no-obligation quote, use our online form to submit your request. If you prefer to call us, our number is 770-335-2983.
