Water Damage & Cold Weather Repair for Asphalt Pavement

The asphalt pavement in your commercial driveway and parking areas are some of the most ignored parts of our property when it comes to maintenance.

Sooner or later, water damage from rain will slowly cause cracks, potholes, and subgrade damage. It always starts small, minor enough to be ignored but once the holes and cracks become big enough to take on even a small amount of water, the damage increases exponentially.

There are ways to prevent water damage and cold weather to asphalt pavements. Periodic maintenance will assure that it will last as long as the concrete foundations of your property.

Seal Coating

Having a top coat sealant protects the asphalt just like the top coat of paint in your vehicle. It will prevent oxidation and water damage by having a thin layer of seal coating on top of the asphalt.  

This will keep the current condition of the asphalt and will help protect the subgrade. It will not help repair pavements that are already damaged. It's prudent to have seal coating applied to your pavement every three to five years.

Pothole Repair

Damaged pavement needs to be repaired right away, potholes are known to expand quickly especially in cold and rainy climates. It is very important to ensure that all potholes are filled before any damage is done to the base course which will lead to depression and general degradation of the entire pavement.

There are off the shelf products to repair asphalt potholes. They do not last very long and you may have to repeat the process every few months. If there is actual damage to the subgrade, then pothole repairs will degrade faster and it is recommended that the entire pavement and subgrade is replaced and re-compacted. Contact a First Water Contracting to check for subgrade damage.

Crack Filling

Water weakens the subgrade. This results in the pavement flexing, which will then result in more cracks as vehicles pass through the pavement. The larger the crack, the more water will be able to come in and induce damage.

Cold pour crack fill is a cheap way to repair cracks. It is less equipment intensive and can be done without professional assistance. It is important to let the sealant set before using the road while a more expensive hot melt fill adheres to the cracks better and sets faster.