REPAIRING POTHOLES and CRACKS in your DRIVEWAY

With winter and the freezing of the ground comes CRACKS AND POTHOLES. CRACKS in asphalt are a sign your DRIVEWAY or parking area is need of attention. A CRACK, often caused by changes in temperature and weather conditions, provides an opening for chemicals and water to work their way into the substrate of the ASPHALT allowing further deterioration beneath the surface. Although you cannot see the damage going on beneath the surface, it is, and eventually if left untreated will turn your small CRACKS into POTHOLES. This not only leads to a bigger expense when it comes time to SEAL, but decreases the life span of your paved area and in time will require RE-PAVING. Proper maintenance of an ASPHALT DRIVEWAY or PARKING LOT requires prompt repair of CRACKS.

There are different kinds of CRACKS. Single line CRACKS are the easiest to fix. A hairline CRACK, less than inches, does not need to be repaired separately but can be filled with SEALANT. A CRACK inch to 2 inches in size should be fixed with a special CRACK FILLER and sealer. Anything larger is actually considered a POT HOLE and should be treated as such. There are products on the market for PATCHING LARGE POTHOLES and I will get into those methods later..

Some CRACKED AREA's have a "chicken wire" pattern. These areas are more severe and indicate that the substrate has been damaged and is actually a POT HOLE. If the area has not begun to sink it will in time. These areas should probably be treated by a professional to ensure the substrate has been properly repaired.

If you decide to do the repair work yourself, take an inventory of the number and severity of the CRACKS. If they seem manageable have a go at it and start out small. It's a little more work than it first appears. If, however, you are uncertain, it may be helpful to contact your local Professional for an estimate. Incorrectly repaired CRACKS will often result in further deterioration of your DRIVEWAY.