subject: Asphalt Maintenance Why Maintain Your Asphalt? [print this page] Asphalt pavement is basically sand, gravel and glue. The glue thats used to keep the sand and gravel together is the actual asphalt, a heavy by-product of oil-refining. While sand and gravel do not deteriorate significantly, the asphalt binder does quite rapidly due to oxidation, solar radiation, pollution and chemicals spilled from vehicles.
Pavement needs continual maintenance to appear at its best. In fact, many community associations find out too late that proper maintenance could have prevented costly replacements. Maintenance requires keeping pavements in full service, with minimum expenses. Improper maintenance can be even more detrimental than none at all. Preventative maintenance is a wise investment. There are several basic forms of maintenance which include:
1. Seal-coating - This procedure will protect against oxidation and spills while making the
asphalt visibly attractive. This application should be applied at least every 3 years or
more if use is heavy and deterioration is apparent. If applied at proper intervals,
it will prolong the life of pavement indefinitely at a fraction of the replacement cost.
2. Crack-Sealing - Cracks are usually caused by either a failure of the base, water damage or
excessive weight on the pavement surface. Installing a hot pour mix to fill them can
easily repair cracks. The crack sealer provides a waterproof bond and is rubberized to
give support while the pavement expands and contracts in changing temperatures.
Cracks that go unsealed will continue to allow water into the base structure, causing
severe damage to the pavement as the base deteriorates. A pavement crack inspection
and correction should be done annually.
3. Patching - If significant deterioration has taken place, removal and replacement of certain
areas may be possible. If excessive ground water or poor soil conditions have aggravated
the problem, corrections should be performed before applying the patch.
Come see us for your maintenance needs. Give us a call at (518) 266-9526 or for more information on Smiths Paving, visit www.smithspaving.com.
