You may think potholes are just eyesores, minor annoyances that should just be ignored.However, this is a dangerous state of mind! Potholes are road hazards that that can slow the flow of traffic and even cause dangerous accidents. Most importantly, potholes will not fix themselves over time. They will only get worse and worse and worse. Eventually, they could cause the entire road surface to collapse rending the street or parking lot impassable. Potholes should be fixed at the earliest possible convenience when the problem is minor and the cost of fixing it is low.
What Causes Potholes?
That is an excellent question. You would think that a well-made road surface would last practically forever. There is just one problem-the forces of nature are unrelenting. Think about it, a winding river created the Grand Canyon out of solid rock. It is no wonder wind, rain, heat, sleet and snow can cause potholes to develop in even the sturdiest of road surfaces. Potholes are formed when moisture gets under the road surface and begins to expand and contract as temperatures change. Eventually, this weakens the road surface from underneath. As heavy cars and truck pass over the weakened surface, the surface deteriorates further. Eventually, it collapses.
The moment you see a potholes you should call a repair service. If you do not fix the potholes, it will begin to expand and the surface will deteriorate further.
How Do We Fix Potholes? To begin with, we fill the potholes with gravel until we are about three inches below the surface of the roadway. Next, we compact the gravel to ensure that the surface will be sturdy, tac oil is applied to make sure the new asphalt will adhere. We continue to reapply material and compact it until is hole is filled. We finish by adding a “crow” or final layer of asphalt. And there we go! Good as new!
