Your asphalt driveway is literally the first thing visitors see when visiting your home. It does not bode well to have that very element of pavement curb appeal to crack & deteriorate while you tend to critical upskills in life.
We can empathize, and that is why we offer budget-friendly paving solutions & remediations for your damaged asphalt surfaces. First things first, you have to know why your driveway is weather the way it is. Asphalt is versatile & durable but not indestructible in the face of things that damage it.
Here are a few:
1. Weather Conditions
Snow, rain, even too much sun can adversely affect asphalt pavement. Rain & snow contribute to free-thaw damage & water intrusion, which often results in potholes & cracked pavement. The sun’s UV radiation is responsible for breaking down the elastic bonds in the asphalt, resulting in dry & cracked pavement. In a few years, the sun can also bleach the characteristic blacktop to a grey.
2. Wear & Tear
Traffic-induced shear stresses are among the most weathering phenomenon for pavement. Driveways, parking lots, highways, & even industrial pavement have a shelf life of a few decades with thorough maintenance. But they do eventually age out & need replacing.
3. Oil Spills
If you are a motorhead with a penchant for taking your car apart in the residential driveway, you will leave behind oil spills & other petroleum-based drips. What happens is that, since asphalt itself is oily in composition, the extra spill causes it to dissolve into a softer surface. With gradually weathering, the softened asphalt erodes, leaving behind a growing pothole.
Poor Installation
Asphalt paving is not just the bitumen-coated chips; there is a lot of preparation required for the resulting pavement to withstand traffic loads for prolonged periods. The paving foundation need to be compacted, then the consecutive aggregate layers are added with tack coats & binder courses. The asphalt itself is the last layer atop many, and it too has to be installed at a specific ambient & material temperature. If the asphalt is not compacted correctly right after installation, it can result in premature pavement degradation.
4. No Surface Protection
You will come across many ranting that seal coats are a scam by quality asphalt contractors to fool gullible folks. Usually, these are the very people who worry about keeping their driveways sealed from damage at all costs.
Seal coats come in a wide range of acrylic, bituminous, fog, slurry, emulsion-based, & tar-&-chip seals. And they all contribute to containing the asphalt’s essential oils & protecting them from breaking down due to UV exposure. These are surface protectants & wearing courses for highways pavement as well.
If you are busy mom or pop or someone rooting for success in Alexandria, VA, Brothers Paving & Concrete is backing you up. We’re also happy to spruce up your asphalt hardscape. You can rely on one of the fastest-growing INC 5000 companies in the US to fix your damaged asphalt while you are taking a well-deserved break!
Check our services; we are licensed & insured, and we also provide free accurate estimates!
