Pavement and asphalt surfaces on your property provide improved value and use for your property and home. But with the surface being constantly exposed to nature and the elements, it needs to be continually kept up to keep it from degrading and eroding. Here are some tips to complete your asphalt repairs more successfully and to ensure they last as long as possible.
Remove Damaged Materials
When you discover a crack in your asphalt, it is important that you remove the loose damage from the site. This can include any cracked sections of pavement that are no longer attached to the base foundation and any smaller bits that have cracked from the asphalt's main portion. The removal should also include removing dirt, debris, and vegetation from the crack.
You should also use a concrete saw to smooth out the cracks and remove the jagged edges. Use a circular mason saw to cut out the damaged edges to make the base of the crack wider than the top of the crack. If you are dealing with a pothole, cut the edges of the pothole to create a straight-edged opening to make the repair cleaner and more able to sustain future vehicle pressure.
Reinstall a Solid Foundation
Anytime you are repairing a pothole in your asphalt, you need to install a new foundation base material that has been compacted. Compacting the repair area will press down into the soil below and make sure no settling and erosion will occur, which will put the repaired section at risk of sinking and becoming a new pothole. Use compacted gravel or crushed rock as a foundation material, allowing for enough space within the repair area for the new asphalt layer to sit level with the surrounding asphalt.
Prevent Surface Erosion
Once you have completed the repairs on your asphalt pavement to keep them in great condition, you will similarly need to be diligent with preventative maintenance. Anytime fluids from your vehicle leak upon the asphalt pavement, they can weaken its surface material and lead to the softening and unraveling of the asphalt mixture.
Remove any vehicle fluids as soon as possible. It is important that you inspect your pavement on a regular basis to remove any new stains, lifting them with a degreaser cleaner and rinsing them fully from the pavement. If you only rinse them from the fluid's original spot to another spot on your pavement, the fluids will begin to break down the pavement where they sit.
Talk to paving contractors to learn more.