Insight About Asphalt Pavement Patching to Repair Pothole Damage
The asphalt pavement your driveway is made up of provides you a strong and stable surface that adds value to your property and home. But when nature's conditions affects the structure of your asphalt, it can crack apart and end up with a pothole forming in your asphalt driveway. The following explains some recommendations for repairing your pothole-filled asphalt pavement to restore its surface appearance and structure.
Complete Off-Season Repairs
Potholes are not always going to form during the warmer months and nice weather. The reason for this is because a large cause of potholes in your asphalt is due to freeze-thaw damage that causes cracking that eventually leads to potholes. Potholes are essentially large compilations of surface cracks that have gone un-repaired over time. And because they affect the entire depth of your asphalt, you need to apply a full-depth repair and rebuild to restore the pavement.
A first step to repair your winter potholes is to evaluate the weather conditions. If the weather remains above freezing for several days, you can usually arrange for a traditional hot mix repair. However, if the temperatures remain below freezing or fall to below freezing at night, it is best to use a cold mix repair to patch the pothole until the weather warms and you can complete a more permanent repair.
Remove any large chunks from the inside of the pothole so your patching material will adhere well inside the repair. You want the patching fix to last until the weather warms and you can complete a more complete repair. Apply a cold mix patch into the pothole, using a tamper to compact it down as you pour it in layers. The top layer of cold mix should come slightly above the surrounding pavement so when you compact it down it will be level. It is best to use heavy pressure to compact it properly and to ensure the patch lasts until spring. If your patch is not compacted properly, it will begin to crumble apart and can lead to further damage around the edges of the pothole and cause the hole to grow further into the surrounding asphalt.
Manage and Arrange Permanent Repairs
Permanent repairs to your asphalt's potholes can be completed in mild to hot weather, as the hot mix of your asphalt will cool too quickly if it is poured during winter. And because you don't want your hot mix asphalt patch to fail, be sure you arrange for a professional asphalt patch to the pothole as soon as spring arrives. Your professional asphalt crew will remove the temporary patch and compact the base foundation aggregate in place with a top layer of hot mix asphalt over the last couple inches of the patch. This process will cure in place to hold it within the surrounding asphalt and give you a smooth and even repair on your driveway.
A company like Pot-Hole Paramedics can help you with your residential driveway.
