Last time on the blog we took a look at some of the most common problems that strike asphalt including rutting, raveling, and alligator cracking (amongst others)! This time around, we wanted to offer some useful advice to help prevent those problems! Let’s end out 2019 by making sure we have our winter asphalt maintenance checklists ready to go!
Winter Asphalt Maintenance and You
While we might not quite have the winters as depicted in that featured image, there are still concerns for our asphalt in the winter. The first thing to take into account is the current state of your asphalt. Maintenance is great, but it can’t make up for damage that your asphalt has already incurred. To that end, you’re going to need to make repairs first and foremost!
Tip 1 – Repair Cracks Before Winter Hits, Fill Potholes
The freeze, expansion, and contraction cycle of winter does a number on asphalt (as we’ve talked about) but that can be defended against! Ensure the elements have to work hard to get access into your asphalt surface by repairing cracks before winter if able.
If you have any potholes lingering in your surface, target those right away. Potholes are critical flaws in your asphalt and if they’re left to endure the weather you can be sure that come spring your asphalt will be much worse for wear.
Tip 2 – Seal Your Surface
When your asphalt cracks are repaired and looking fresh apply a seal coat, again, preferably during the summer, to create another barrier between your surface and the asphalt. The harder it is for the elements to work their way into the asphalt, the easier the rest of the maintenance will be!
Tip 3 – Remove Water (or, *gasp* Snow!) ASAP
While our winters here in Tucson don’t tend to get snowy, stranger things have happened. This winter, in particular, its been rainy so this tip is still helpful! Remove any water or snow quickly to prevent it from pooling and working its way into the asphalt and weakening the surface. If you’re in an area that does get snow, removing it as quickly as possible is crucial to keeping safer driving conditions and in preventing further damage. If left to sit, the snow will melt, then freeze, then turn to ice.
Tip 4 – De-Ice Right
If you are worried about any icy conditions on your roads or live in snowy conditions, using a safe de-icer is crucial to keeping healthy asphalt. Many folks still use rock salt on their asphalt to help curb the slipperiness but rock salt is really corrosive to asphalt. Look at using potassium chloride or similar to help combat the ice, without sacrificing your asphalt.
Tip 5 – Clean Debris Quickly
Just like you don’t want to leave any snow or water lying around, you’ll want to clean up any debris regularly. Debris that is left on the ground when the weather turns can freeze over creating harsher conditions. This is really a year-round tip, clean up debris regularly, it will save you plenty of headaches down the road!
Just like our health, when it comes to keep great pavement, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Hopefully, these winter asphalt maintenance tips will serve you well and we’ll see you in 2020! Need asphalt help before the New Year? Want to start 2020 on the right foot? Give Sunrise Asphalt a call today! Paving, repair, sealing, and more, we do it all and we do it right!
