Eyeglasses, drinkware, or a smartphone screen. All of these delicate items have limited functionality if they suffer a crack. Asphalt pavement, on the other hand, can crack and still endure.
A newly installed asphalt pavement is flexible; but, over time, it will become more rigid and susceptible to cracking due to heavy traffic loads, harsh weather conditions, oil leaks, and other irritants. But, a crack doesn’t signal the end. Rather, you should look at cracked pavement as an opportunity.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
Identifying pavement cracks and sealing them in a timely manner is the most cost-effective preventative maintenance procedure. That’s because a sealed crack is protected from water penetration. If left untreated, water is free to permeate the surface through the crack and erode the base or sub-base. Furthermore, open cracks can quickly widen and spread with the repeated stress of traffic and weather conditions such as freeze/thaw cycles. When this occurs, more costly structural repairs will be necessary.
WHICH PAVEMENT CRACKS SHOULD BE SEALED?
There are many different crack types, easily identified by their pattern. For example, longitudinal cracks appear in a long, straight line. Block cracks appear in a square shape, intersecting at right angles. But, regardless of type, to be a good candidate for crack sealing, the cracks should be isolated and measure ¼-inch to 1-inch in width. If cracks are widespread and measure greater than one inch, asphalt removal and replacement may be necessary.
HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS?
Consider this scenario—a timely application of crack sealant (at $0.75/LF) to a 150 LF longitudinal crack, would cost $112.50. (That’s probably less than you would spend to repair a cracked smart phone.) However, if you were to defer crack sealing for just a few years, a longitudinal crack would widen and fracture causing alligator-type cracking in the surrounding pavement. To repair this would require 900 SF of asphalt removal and replacement for a total of $3,600.
Hundreds or thousands? We’ll help you make the easy choice. So, don’t stress when your pavement cracks, call Let’s Pave and we’ll get crack’in!
