Proactive Asphalt Maintenance for Savings
An Investment in Crack Sealing: Your Pavement’s Best Friend
It is imperative to emphasize this! You must seal cracks in your parking lot as soon as they emerge. Consider how your teeth feel like your parking lot. You should get a tiny cavity filled as soon as you notice it developing. If not, you may need to have a costly root canal or worse.
The same is true with asphalt: fissures require larger, more expensive repairs. The good news is that crack sealing is a year-round, reasonably priced repair. It functions by simply preventing water from getting between your asphalt and the soil it is placed on.
Understanding the Root Causes of Cracks
Although there are many possible causes for asphalt cracking, water and sunlight are the most likely culprits. The ultra violet rays of the sun constantly bombard your pavement, drying it up and making it more fragile. Water from precipitation or irrigation runoff enters those recently created fissures and begins the process of erosion that eventually results in the pothole. There are numerous additional sources of cracks. Earth movement, high traffic volumes, or shoddy building maintenance and design. Block cracks, fatigue cracks, and reflecting cracks are the three primary types of cracks that are seen in parking lots.
Hot vs. Cold Pour Crack Repair
Products for fixing cracks are not all created equal. Many people believe that hot pour crack sealants are better than cold pour sealants. That’s what we at Superior Asphalt think, too, based on our own experiences.
The 3/4″ (three quarters of an inch) cracks that are commonly observed in parking lots are intended to accommodate hot pour materials. While larger cracks up to 1″ can still be sealed using this technique to save future repairs that will be more costly, the products are usually not made to withstand these kinds of larger voids and cracks. In those situations, we would advise repairing the asphalt.
Check out this 2006 report from the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Transportation Research for more details on why we use hot pour sealants. We do provide cold pour sealants for smaller jobs, but clients should be aware of their limitations. We also only suggest cold pour sealants for really minor jobs where hot pour crack repairs would be too expensive.
Our Crack Sealing Process
The crack sealing method employed by Superior Asphalt is the same as that of the majority of regional municipal, state, and federal maintenance organizations, including Cal Trans. We apply the same crack sealing procedure on your parking lot that is used on freeways, roads, and parking lots. This procedure has been repeatedly tried and tested. Even under the most difficult circumstances, its performance is dependable and exceptional.
High-traffic roads, business parking lots, and driveways with numerous cracks should all be sealed with hot-pour sealants. The greatest option for high-quality, long-lasting repairs is hot-applied sealants.
Don’t let cracks lead to costly repairs. Address them promptly with Superior Asphalt.
Protect Your Pavement with Expert Crack Fill
Small cracks may appear insignificant, but they can lead to significant issues down the road. Over time, these tiny cracks naturally expand as your asphalt ages and weakens. What’s more, these minor cracks provide a pathway for water to penetrate the asphalt and reach the subgrade. The more water infiltrates your pavement, the more surface failures you’ll experience. Over time, these cracks will widen, potentially leading to pavement buckling and other significant problems.
Don’t dismiss these small cracks as purely aesthetic concerns. Immediate attention is necessary. At Superior Asphalt, we use top-tier materials for crack filling, and our process ensures a strong bond and long-lasting results. We begin by meticulously cleaning and prepping the damaged area, ensuring it adheres properly to the filler. This preparatory step is crucial for removing debris, allowing the filler to penetrate every crevice.
Once the area is prepared, we heat the high-quality crack filler to over 350 degrees and apply it to the pavement using a banding machine and squeegee apparatus. This process and our choice of materials guarantee a top-notch pavement repair and robust protection. Our commitment to quality workmanship ensures long-lasting repairs that safeguard your pavement, saving you both time and money.
We offer high-quality crack fill products to shield your asphalt from weather exposure, including:
- Hot & Cold Crack Fill
- Type I & II Road Slurry
- Armor Top Premium Sealcoat
- Seal & Sand
For crack filling services that ensure the longevity and resilience of your pavement, get in touch with us today. We’re eager to apply our expertise to your project.
