Asphalt Maintenance: The Right Steps!Learn about asphalt and the steps that need to be taken to maintain any asphalt surface.

We drive on it, walk on it, play and bike on it. Even our planes land on it. But seldom do we stop and

think about what asphalt is or how to care for it. First, let's take a look at asphalt ingredients.

Asphalt is made up of rock, sand, tar and bitumen and starts out as a dense (thick and heavy), dark

liquid. It is designed to flex as the ground moves and yet remain solid enough for heavy cars and

trucks to drive on it.

The rock and sand give asphalt the strength required so it can be used for high traffic zones and is

the reason it can withstand heavy weight loads rolling on it for years. Tar and bitumen, on the other

hand, are the liquid components which give asphalt its flexibility.

Asphalt Ingredients

So what is asphalt and its ingredients? There are actually two basic ingredients in asphalt. The first

are aggregates: this is a mix of crushed stone, gravel, and sand. Aggregates make up about 95% of

hot mix asphalt pavement. The other 5% is bitumen. Bitumen is the black or dark viscous material

that holds the aggregates together, and is composed of polycyclic hydrocarbons (a petroleum

byproduct).

Asphalt Durability

If you've ever been jarred by a crack in an asphalt road, you know that the material doesn't last

forever. The performance of asphalt can vary widely depending on a number of variables that

include the presence of moisture, temperature fluctuations, volume of traffic, and exposure to certain

chemicals. Even varying asphalt ingredients can determine its durability.

Over time the elements (sun, heat, u/v rays, cold, rain and snow) cause the asphalt to dry out and

lose its flexible properties (the tar and bitumen). The sun basically cooks (dries out) the liquids out of

the asphalt surface, leaving a fragile gray surface that is bound to crack and deteriorate very quickly.

Other factors that may cause asphalt to erode and decay include heavy traffic, as well as the

expansion and contraction process.

You can observe the aging process that asphalt goes through in that it is has a very deep black color

when it is first applied. Over time it turns grayish in color. This graying process is caused by

"oxidization." When an asphalt surface appears gray and shows signs of drying out, then it's time for

the asphalt surface to be sealcoated with a commercial grade asphalt sealer product and the

proper sealcoating equipment to rejuvenate and protect the asphalt surface from the elements.

What Is Asphalt's Most Effective Maintenance Strategy?

For homeowners, it's important to understand the ingredients in asphalt because it does need to be

maintained on a regular schedule. An asphalt driveway can remain in good condition for decades if it

is properly cared for.

Crack Filling

With all types of asphalt, a certain amount of cracking is inevitable. The secret is to fill the cracks

before they expand and turn into potholes or larger areas of crumbling pavement. There are two

types of crack filler that can be used on any asphalt or concrete surface. Cold liquid pour asphalt

crack fill is highly effective in sealing cracks up to ½" in width. The product is easy to use and keeps

cracks on all types of asphalt sealed for several years. Hot pour crackfill is commercial-grade

rubberized asphalt crack sealer that works on cracks up to 1" in width. It can be safely heated in a

kettle or crack fill applicator melter and poured into cracks to seal out water, ice, and debris. It will

keep cracks sealed for up to four years.

Crack repair is hands down the most neglected part of asphalt maintenance. It's also the one that

causes the most damage and most often results in needing a complete asphalt replacement. You

can do your own blacktop maintenance of repairing cracks that are a half-inch wide or less.

Sealcoating

All asphalt types require proper maintenance and proactive repair to retain their appearance and

overall condition. The use of a sealcoat is absolutely essential to the proper maintenance of any

asphalt-paved surface. Whether you have a driveway or a parking lot for your business, sealcoating

asphalt should be a priority. When asphalt ingredients aren't properly protected with a coat of sealer,

they will inevitably crack. Leaving even small cracks and fissures exposed and unrepaired will

definitely lead to more serious damage such as potholes, crumbling asphalt, and foundation

damage. This ultimately results in the need for costly asphalt replacement.

Sealcoat Your Asphalt SurfaceWe recommend that you sealcoat your asphalt surface every two years so that you prevent further decay and

oxidization. Delaying the treatment of your asphalt surface will invariably end up costing you a lot more

money down the road (thousands). This is never more important than after asphalt crack repair! Once the

repairs have cured, driveway sealing is your final step to ensure the repair is sealed and protected.

Sealcoating regularly for blacktop maintenance is your best insurance against future costly repairs.

Sealant works by replacing the surface lost to oxidization from sun, air, and rain. Think of it being the

same as a combination sun screen and skin moisturizer: sealcoating protects and rejuvenates for

the very best asphalt maintenance.

How do you know when it's time to do this type of asphalt repair? Try the water test: if you pour water on the driveway or parking lot and it

no longer beads on the surface, it's time!

Repair Any Damaged Areas 

Any cracks or potholes need to be dealt with using quality asphalt crack filler and the proper crack sealing

equipment. Small and large asphalt cracks should be repaired before they become even larger cracks. Sooner

or later the larger cracks turn into potholes and depressions resulting in extremely costly repairs, or in extreme

cases – complete replacement ($$$).

Cold Crack Filler : This is the perfect fix for cracks of ½ an inch and smaller. Be sure to tightly pack sand in

the crack so that it is no deeper than a half inch, and apply the crack filler as directed.

Hot Pour Rubberized Crack Filler : Made for repairing cracks larger than a half inch, this method requires

planning and proper temperatures. You will need a way to heat the hot pour, and a way to apply it. This can

be done with a melter oven, and a crack pour pot, or more simply with a 2-in-1 machine like theAK10.

Cold Asphalt Patch : Is your pothole miracle fill. Completely pliable out of the pail, and sets perfectly, this is

suitable for using at any time of year. Here you want to tightly pack sand to bring it up to 1 inch in depth

before applying. Also, to allow for settling, you will slightly overfill the hole. A vibrating plate is extremely

useful for tamping sand and asphalt repairs.

Pothole Repair

Potholes are best caught early and treated immediately, regardless of the time of year. There is a

specialty Cold Asphalt Patch product that you can use to make fixes to your pavement year-round,

regardless of the temperature.

If you're faced with a wait time of several weeks to repair potholes you've found in your parking lot,

this is a great option for you. The fix is permanent and you'll immediately reduce the risk of damage

to your customers' or clients' cars.

Whether you do it yourself or you hire a contractor, you need to assess the state of your parking

area as soon as the snow melts enough to see it. Proactive action now can save you thousands of

dollars in replacement costs, and as an added bonus will make your property look refreshed and

ready for spring.

Parking Lot Lines

This is one of the easiest fixes you can make to your parking area. If your parking lot lines have

become all but invisible thanks to a season of snowplowing, you can easily repaint them overtop of

the existing lines using professional line-striping equipment.

New to parking lot maintenance? Then it is important to remember that asphalt line striping should

take place after all other asphalt maintenance. If you are planning to re-seal your parking area this

summer, all your lines will disappear under the nice fresh blacktop. However, if the parking area was

sealed within the last year or two, there is no need to reseal this season and you can go ahead and

line stripe.

Preventative Measures

Once the asphalt surface starts to lose its flexibility, it will begin to crack. Small asphalt cracks

should be sealed before they become large cracks. Eventually the large cracks turn into pot holes

and depressions resulting in extremely costly repair or in extreme cases, complete replacement ($$).

The present price of oil has dramatically impacted the price for asphalt on a per ton basis. The cost

of asphalt paving or replacement is extremely high, which has really increased the demand for more

asphalt sealcoating companies and in-house asphalt maintenance programs. Commercial property

owners and driveway owners are starting to understand that it is much more economical to

maintain their own asphalt on an ongoing basis.

What can you be doing to maintain your asphalt?

Edging

No matter what you have bordering your blacktop, this is the first place that damage creeps in. If you

have lawn or flower beds, grass and weeds find the strength to start making inroads and cracking

the edges. Concrete curbs and gravel borders still have seams where those grass and weed plants

find their way in. Start your asphalt maintenance by edging any adjoining lawn, and clearing a one-

to two-inch border. Weed your flower beds, and make sure perennial plants aren't getting too close.

With curbs and gravel, you can do a quick, permanent kill by pouring vinegar to kill the plants.

Spring Cleaning

It may not sound like asphalt repair, but it is! For superior blacktop maintenance, always clean up

any fuel and oil spills as soon as possible. Those spills will eat away your blacktop at an alarming

rate. To clean them, use a degreaser cleaner engineered for asphalt maintenance and a stiff brush

or broom. Using a pressure washer is a bad idea as it drives the stain deep into pores of the

blacktop. When you've finished removing all the stains, wash and/or sweep the entire surface to

complete the cleaning portion of your blacktop maintenance.

The Periodic Table of Asphalt Maintenance

We've compiled the Periodic Table of Asphalt Maintenance for your viewing pleasure:

Seasonal Considerations Associated with Asphalt Maintenance

The dramatic changes in weather associated with different seasons can significantly impact the

condition of your asphalt. In order to properly maintain your asphalt surface, you will need to

understand the important role seasonal weather plays in this process. Below are a few tips to help

you adjust your asphalt maintenance efforts by season.

Winter Damage to Asphalt Surfaces

Photo by Bobby Hidy via flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0

There are three main areas affected by a hard, heavy-snowfall winter: First, the constant scraping

of snow plows can mean that parking lot lines have all but disappeared. This decreases a parking

lot's efficiency as fewer cars can park and people don't know which direction to take in parking lanes.

In some cases, if state-regulated handicapped spots are scraped off, parking lot owners could even

face fines for non-compliance.

The second area to watch is cracks: cracks that weren't properly cleaned, filled, and sealed before

winter may have let moisture into the foundation of your asphalt, and could have compromised the

whole surface, necessitating costly repairs. If you see a depression forming around a crack, it is

likely that you have foundational damage.

Thirdly, untreated cracks and areas of pooling water that freezes and expand may have resulted

in potholes showing up in your pavement. Potholes are at best a risk to your pavement and at worst

a dangerous hazard to drivers and pedestrians alike.

Parking Lot Maintenance: A Routine to Help You Save Big Bucks

Routine parking lot maintenance is essential. If you're in the habit of waiting for a pothole to swallow

your car in order to pay attention to your asphalt, you're about to discover how routine pavement

checks, in the spring and the fall, will set you free from tedious and costly asphalt repair.

Let's face it: the first place customers and clients see when they arrive at your property is the

pavement! If the parking lines are scraped off or there are cracks wide enough to snag shoes, you

aren't making the impression you want to make. Plan to check your parking lot on the first day of

spring and the first day of fall, and get into the habit of taking care of this investment as well as you

take care of the inside of buildings on your property.

Parking Lot Maintenance Tip

Maintaining asphalt is not difficult, and by keeping it as a part of your routine as a property manager

you'll save a lot of money. A dollar spent in upkeep will save you $6 to $14 in repair. Not only that,

but customers and clients will have a great first impression of your property by seeing the care you

take in parking lot maintenance!

Addressing The Problems

The easiest and fastest way to address the problems is to hire an experienced asphalt

maintenance contractor to come out and look at your parking area. 

We hope this educational packet helped you better understand the what, how, and why behind asphalt maintenance. The next time you need work done on your asphalt,

business or home, be sure to give us a call!

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Robert Schlosser

Contact Information:

Office : (631) 547-1067

1-855-778-SEAL

www.AllCountyAsphaltNY.com

Rob@AllCountyAsphaltNY.com

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