Archive for: Seal Coating

What Kind Of Maintenance Does Asphalt Require?

Why does asphalt require maintenance? Asphalt is created by mixing gravel, sand, and oil. The oil binder can deteriorate from chemicals, dirt, grime, oil, the sun, and wear and tear from the vehicles. There isn’t a pavement that doesn’t require some sort of maintenance, including asphalt.

What kind of maintenance does asphalt require?

  1. Applying a seal coating every 2-3 years, depending on the asphalt, will prolong the life of the asphalt.
  2. Filling cracks when they appear on the asphalt will preserve the life of the asphalt. Doing annual inspection for cracks on the asphalt will prevent further damage. A crack can be caused by too much weight, water damage, or even found in the base. Filling the cracks can prevent any additional damage to the asphalt.
  3. Patching any places of the asphalt can correct any problem. If there is deterioration on the asphalt, then patching this area will correct the problem and prevent costly repairs to the asphalt.
  4. Adding an overlay to the current asphalt can be required for an added structural support for the asphalt. The overlaying is affordable and can generally be laid on top of the current asphalt to further protect it.
  5. Keeping the asphalt clean and free of any chemicals will keep the asphalt maintained.

2-6These are the basic maintenance procedures that are required for asphalt. The easiest and most effective maintenance task is inspecting the asphalt periodically. This will allow you to notice any cracks, holes, waves or odd patterns with the asphalt. When discovering any problems early, a homeowner has plenty of time to repair and fix these problems without causing major damage to the asphalt.

Asphalt is very durable and sturdy. It can provide a homeowner many years of service, but in order to do so, the asphalt must be maintained. Every homeowner understands the importance of maintaining their property. A home has many annual things that must be done to keep the home up to par and this goes for asphalt too. The more you maintain the asphalt, the longer it will last and continue to look great. This will only add value and curb appeal to your home.

If you have asphalt at your home currently and have yet to do any maintenance on the asphalt, walk around the asphalt to check if there are any cracks or holes. If there are, then call Plehal and we will gladly take care of any repairs to sustain the life of your asphalt.

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Spring Blog

Spring is here and we just survived one of the worst winters in a long time! Plehal Blacktopping is here to help you assess the winter damage to your asphalt. The winter weather causes front to heave the asphalt, causing and potholes.

Asphalt fails for a variety of reasons; under design for traffic load, original installation didn’t meet spec and sometimes the pavement has simply outlived its engineered life expectancy.

Potholes, rutting and large cracking are more apparent now for two reasons: we have had very harsh winters and the tried temporary fixes where long-term repairs are needed.  Asphalt failures that create potholes, happen for a reason.  Dumping cold mix into them doesn’t even cover up the problem very well.  Temporary “cold patch” simply doesn’t last.  It may be okay for 30-90 days when used to fill a pothole for traffic safety; however, all of these repairs need a more permanent solution!  Minimally hot material needs to be placed, but more often a structural defect needs more comprehensive attention.

We encourage you to plan proper pavement repairs and protection to keep our motorists and citizens safe.  Improper remedies can cause damage to cars, personal property and can contribute to accidents that result in serious injury, or even death.  Let’s fix it right the first time and safe the costly ongoing labor dollars, which cost us all more tax dollars over the long haul.

For more information on Plehal Blacktopping, click here!