Raking leaves, cleaning gutters, checking for drafts… there are plenty of home improvement projects you’ll need to finish before the first hints of winter touch the air. One more that you should add to your list is pavement repair. Pavement repair may not seem to be the most pressing issue on your honey-do list, but the reality is that a little work done now can spare you a lot of pain later.
The Dangers of Winter
Why should pavement repair be at the top of your list this year? It’s all about how the weather affects your pavement, especially during the winter. The two most common problems start from above and below. First, obviously, is precipitation. As snow and sleet falls on your driveway, water can start seeping into your driveway. As water goes through, it pulls away minerals from the pavement and deposits them elsewhere, leaving gaps.
As more water can flow in through these gaps, taking more minerals with it, you’ll begin seeing more and more cracks, especially in parts of the asphalt that see more wear, such as high-traffic areas. This water can also begin washing away your base, causing problems that range from potholes to “alligator” cracking.
The second way comes from below, as frost heaves form over the course of the winter. As water collects in the soil, it forms “lenses” underground at the point where water is cold enough to freeze. As these lenses collect more water, they grow, pushing up the soil above them and cracking the pavement.
Worse, if a lens is big enough, when it inevitably melts, the soil will collapse into it, taking some of your pavement with it. In addition, there will be more wear and tear; tire chains and snow plows will do a number on even the best-maintained driveway, and you’ll have to plan accordingly. And no, you shouldn’t put your driveway ahead of your personal safety.
What Type of Pavement Repair Will Help?
So, pavement repair is important to mitigate these problems… but what repairs should you make?
Start with basic repairs. A driveway in bad shape now is going to be barely usable by the time even a relatively-mild winter gets through with it, so fill in any potholes and seal any cracks. Speak with an experienced paving contractor about whether you should simply fill and patch, or engage in more extensive repair work; you may need an on-site assessment to know the best way forward. Either way, pavement repair should be at the top of the list.
Another option you should look into is sealing. While sealing won’t stop problems like frost heaves, it will slow them down substantially, and will help you keep your driveway from falling apart during the winter. It will also keep your driveway from taking too much water damage.
If you want to make sure you have pavement repair done right before winter hits, contact AC Paving. AC Paving prides itself on doing the best job possible, from the start of the project to finishing it by recycling your old asphalt. So, don’t let winter wreck your pavement: Call AC Paving today.