Repair and Maintenance Tips for Water Damage on Asphalt Pavement

No matter how strong and sturdy asphalt may seem, it is not totally immune to damage, especially from natural causes like extreme weather conditions. One of the common issues that you will inevitably encounter is water damage, also known as moisture damage, which can lead to many problems for your asphalt pavement. You can hire the best contractor of asphalt paving in Dallas TX who can provide you excellent workmanship at incredible value.

Water damage is known to break the durability of asphalt through a process called oxidation. When oxidation happens, it wears and weakens down your asphalt, making it easy to get fractured by other outside elements, such as huge trucks and buses.

It is no secret, but the water that has seeped into the pavement is also responsible for causing your pavement to expand and shrink in response to the weather. This constant push and pull from underneath is another factor that makes your asphalt brittle.

This is why investing in repair and maintenance is a must to make sure that your asphalt is always in the best condition. Fortunately, this activity can be done as a do-it-yourself project if the damage on asphalt is just minor. In severe cases, however, you might need to call for help. Whatever it may be, here are 5 ways to maintain and repair your asphalt:

1. Fill in the small cracks

One of the many reasons why water is quick to cause damage to your asphalt pavement is the small and unnoticeable cracks on the asphalt’s surface. These cracks serve as entryways for water to penetrate and seep in deeply through the layers of your asphalt, which then causes it to deteriorate from the inside without you noticing until it is too late. So be sure to watch out for tiny cracks on your asphalt the next time you do an inspection so as to avoid parking lot repairs. The moment you spot them you should get your asphalt mix ready and fill in these cracks before they get bigger and become more troublesome. This is especially true for establishments with a commercial asphalt parking space.

2. Fix potholes

Potholes are different from the tiny cracks mentioned above, but they are cracks all the same–just bigger! And their size is actually what makes them more problematic and in need of immediate attention. Potholes are also actually the consequences you reap when you fail to address the small cracks because it is at this stage where water has successfully penetrated and weakened your asphalt, thus resulting in the emergence of potholes.

Similar to what you have to do with the small cracks, you will also need to fill in potholes before they can cause any more damage. But because potholes are bigger, the mixture that you will use to cover them up might need to be stronger than what you used as fill-ins for tiny cracks.

3. Cover with seal coating

They say that prevention is better than cure, and that is exactly why you should try to apply seal coating over your asphalt pavement. The seal coating will not make your asphalt a hundred percent immune to rainfall and water, but it can certainly help with maintenance and in lessening the harmful effects of water to your asphalt such as chemicals and oxidation. It can also minimize water penetration.

Do note that the use of seal coating will do you good in maintaining the current status of your asphalt and avoid worsening its condition, but it will not repair any damage that is already present before application.

4. Put on an asphalt overlay

If the state of your asphalt is still somewhat fine, you can opt for an asphalt overlay wherein instead of destroying and replacing your pavement completely, you will just be putting on a new layer of asphalt over the old ones, which then becomes the very base of your asphalt pavement.

Overlays may sound easy, and some of you must be thinking of skipping fixing potholes and cracks, and then just go all out. You know, be done with everything in one go because it is a convenient option. However, overlays actually require preparation and patience. You should also know that not all asphalt pavements can get away with an overlay, especially if they are already heavily damaged and the deterioration can be traced deep, deep down to its roots. But for little cracks and potholes, asphalt overlay might still work!

As for the preparation, you still need to at least remove the topmost layer of your pavement by drilling or grinding down on the top surface before you can proceed with the overlay.

5. Call an asphalt paving service

It is not a bad idea to seek help from experts like an asphalt company in Tacoma when you are in need of asphalt paving repairs, maintenance, and other services. Taking care of your asphalt pavement and keeping it in good condition is very different from house maintenance and carpentry where do-it-yourself projects will do. When it comes to your asphalt repair needs, you will be needing some heavy equipment and machines to do the digging, drilling, and other heavy-duty activities.

Asphalt repairs can also take lots of your time especially if you try and do it all by yourself. So do not hesitate to ring up a team of asphalt paving service providers. It will also do you more harm than good if you try to act independently without needing the assistance of professionals in the asphalt industry.

Conclusion

There are many factors to consider when trying to pinpoint what exactly was the cause of our asphalt pavement’s deterioration. It can be foot traffic, heavy vehicles, and even accidents. But the most likely causes for your asphalt’s weakened state is water or moisture damage. You would be surprised that most asphalt issues you have and will encounter actually stems from water damage. Yes, even potholes and cracks can be caused by water damage from deep within! These are the reasons why repair and maintenance are important.

With these tips, you now know what to do with your asphalt concerns. Start inspecting now and check how each situation needs some attention. Figure out what needs to be done, and if you happen to still be lost and uncertain, you can always ask professional asphalt fixers.