Potholes are the bane of property owners, drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists around the world. These pavement holes can inflict injuries and damage vehicles. Furthermore, potholes can allow a substantial amount of water to leak deep within the structure of the pavement, spawning alligator cracks and more potholes. To help their customers avoid additional damage, contractors recommend that they schedule paving repairs promptly to close any pavement breaks, including potholes and cracks. Unfortunately, although there are certain repair methods that can be used during rainy weather, most techniques will provide better results when the pavement is dry.
Can Pothole Repair Take Place in winter wet Weather?
Aquaphalt water activated cold patch is a great fit for small repairs in any weather condition. B & E Coating – MichiganSealcoating.com can make these pothole or emergency asphalt repairs whenever you need us for you pavement preservation.
What Causes Potholes?
Potholes are typically caused by a combination of water and traffic. Rain or melted snow leaks through open cracks, eroding the base and saturating the underlying soil. The pavement’s supporting foundation is weakened and destabilized, and pockets of air can be left between the pavement and its foundation. Additional air voids can be created when the trapped water freezes and thaws. As traffic passes over the voids, the pavement, which is too weak to support the load, begins to deteriorate and develop cracks. Soon, the deteriorated and damaged pavement collapses into the void, leaving a pothole.
How Can Potholes Be Prevented?
The best way to prevent potholes is to be proactive about your pavement preservation or parking lot maintenance. It is much more effective and economical to have your contractor make a small asphalt repair than to wait until the foundation has been damaged. Include periodic sealcoating applications in your parking lot maintenance program. Sealants can often double the life of an asphalt pavement, but you will need to have any parking lot repair procedures such as parking lot sweeping , and crack sealing performed before sealcoating. If you need to clear snow from your pavement, be sure that the snowplow operator is experienced; a blade that is set too low can gouge your pavement. Michigan Sealcoating can assist you on getting a pavement preservation program in place, so you can slow and avoid the development of costly pothole and asphalt repairs.
How Are Potholes in Asphalt Pavements Repaired?
Most pothole repairs use one of the asphalt patching techniques. One of the few techniques that can be used in rainy weather is called a cold patch or Aquaphalt water activated cold patch. Some cold patches are temporary measures that will need to be replaced when conditions improve, but there are some long-lasting cold patch materials that can be used such as Aquapatch. Most contractors prefer to mend potholes with either an infrared asphalt repair around catch basins or a hot mix patch (HMA). As a rule, hot mix patching cannot be performed in very cold weather, and any rain heavier than a light sprinkle can ruin the job. The temperature does not matter for an infrared asphalt repair, but there is a limit to how much moisture can be evaporated during the procedure, so your asphalt contractor will have to evaluate the weather, the condition of your pavement, and the scope of the repair before making a decision. However, you should never assume that your only choice is to leave the pothole unrepaired until the rainy season ends. The chances of extensive damage to your pavement and its foundation increase when a pothole is left open to the weather, so even a temporary asphalt repair to seal out the water can be a cost-effective decision avoiding larger repair even trip or car damage liabilities.
Let B&E Coating Services Help
We specialize in all areas of asphalt maintenance, including sealcoating, driveway sealing, asphalt crack repair, infrared repairs, paving, catch basin repairs, apron repairs, pavement marking and striping, parking lot sweeping, street sweeping and asphalt patching, we also offer concrete construction and repair. We have an exemplary reputation for craftsmanship, customer service, and integrity. If you are interested in receiving a free quote, you can use our online request form, or you can call us at 989-352-7305 or 800-SEAL-817.
