An Attractive Driveway

Asphalt paving is gaining popularity for the paving of residential spaces. It is durable, affordable, and easy to maintain. However, asphalt suffers wear and tear at varying rates depending on the weather and traffic loads. It can develop problems that make it less functional and vulnerable to even more damage. Residential paving contractors can help prolong the life of your asphalt surfaces by fixing different problems.

Repair Unraveling Asphalt

Do you notice loose grit on the surface of paved asphalt? It is a sign that the asphalt is unraveling. In this problem, the fine gravel particles on the asphalt surface loosen, and the thickness of the paving reduces. Asphalt surfaces in areas that see high differences in temperature are more vulnerable to unraveling because of the frequent contraction and expansion cycles.

Paving repair for unraveling asphalt involves laying a repair patch over the area that is undergoing attrition. In cases where the unraveling is extensive, the paving contractor will remove whole sections and apply new asphalt paving.

Fill Depressions in the Surface

Depressions are sunken areas where there was poor compaction when laying the asphalt. They can also occur when air pockets underground collapse. Water collects in these depressions and makes the asphalt even weaker and prone to unraveling.

The paving contractor can repair depressions in residential paving by applying a patch over the depressed spot. More severe depression requires removing the affected area, including the subgrade. The contractor will then apply a full-depth patch on the areas. Those results are more permanent.

Fixing Alligator Cracks

Do you receive heavy vehicle traffic from time to time? You are likely to see alligator cracks in the asphalt, also called fatigue cracking. It happens when the asphalt paving is unable to support the weight rolling over it. Thinner asphalt paving is vulnerable to this problem. Simple residential paving repair involves applying a filler material and sealcoating. To fix more extensive alligator cracking, the paving contractor will dig out the cracked surface and lay new paving, fixing the structural problems.

Fixing Potholes in the Asphalt

Potholes happen when alligator cracks make the asphalt loose, which makes chunks come out. The resulting holes become more extensive as time goes by. They become a danger to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. To fix a pothole, the paving contractor digs out the area around the pothole and installs a new paving layer.

Are you having problems with your residential asphalt paving? To learn more about what to do, contact a company like New England Paving.