Your driveway is a sight for sore eyes; it’s what you pull up on after a long day of work, after all. It’s also a path that is often used, which means the asphalt on it can break down over time.
There comes a time in the life of every driveway when you have to call in the experts. In this article, we discuss 7 signs that it’s time for asphalt driveway repair.
1. There Are Large Cracks
Large cracks are affectionately known as alligator cracks. This is a natural part of aging for your asphalt driveway.
As temperatures change during the day and night, it causes your asphalt to expand and contract. Plus, it’s bearing the weight of everything on top of it, including heavy vehicles.
So it’s normal to see some cracks on your asphalt. However, they can become larger and really resemble alligator skin; thus the nickname. If you don’t take care of alligator cracks before they worsen, you may need to replace your entire asphalt.
To avoid this, you should have professionals fill in or patch any crack that seems to be widening quickly. No immediate action needs to be taken for any smaller cracks, but keep an eye on them in case they start expanding rapidly.
2. There Are Missing Pieces
Asphalt shouldn’t break off, but this may happen if the edges aren’t protected. For instance, asphalt should have either concrete curbs or gutters surrounding them. When they don’t, they’ll be prone to weathering.
When this happens, two things need to happen.
First of all, you’ll need to have the broken pieces and damaged areas completely removed. Second of all, you’ll need to replace those areas with new asphalt.
Sadly, you won’t be able to repair any of these missing chunks of asphalt, even with a professional’s help. You’ll have to have them perform replacements instead.
3. Water Is Pooling
Water is the biggest enemy of asphalt. When there are cracks on your driveway, water can get in and pool.
Then, it can freeze and thaw, over and over. This makes your asphalt expand and contract frequently. In turn, it weakens and buckles.
You may have water pooling because the drainage isn’t great or something is uneven. To find and fix the problem, you should have a pro come and take a look at things as soon as you notice water pooling.
4. You Have Potholes
You normally see potholes on the road, but they can occur on your driveway as well. There are two ways you can get potholes.
The first way is when there’s water under your driveway. As mentioned above, it freezes and thaws multiple times, which weakens your asphalt.
The second way is when the soil under your driveway expands and contracts. This can also cause buckling in your asphalt.
Potholes can be quite an eyesore. Not only that; they can be dangerous.
You and your family members can trip over it and easily twist an ankle or get a serious scrape. Plus, driving over it can cause significant damage to your car.
If your potholes aren’t that big, an expert can patch them up for you. Otherwise, it may be time to replace your asphalt completely.
5. The Asphalt Is Discolored
If you spent all your time outdoors, your skin would suffer some damage at some point. The same concept goes for your asphalt. As the years go by, it’ll suffer from UV damage and weathering, which makes it discolored.
A good way to fend off discoloring and staining is to have a paving company sealcoat your asphalt every two to three years. This is like putting “sunscreen” onto your driveway.
It’s best to start this regimen as soon as you get your driveway. That way, you’ll prevent discoloration and deterioration right from the beginning. If you don’t sealcoat until the later years, it may be too late and you might have to replace your entire driveway.
6. Your Asphalt Is Warped
Day in and day out, your driveway has to handle vehicles driving across it. You may not realize it, but cars are actually pretty heavy; the average car weighs over 4,000 pounds.
The crushing weight of your car going over your asphalt will take its toll over time. It can warp and not be straight to drive across.
Thankfully, it’s a fixable problem if the warping isn’t too bad. A professional can determine if they can touch it up or replace it if the damage is too significant to be fixed.
7. Your Driveway Is Sinking
Your asphalt doesn’t just sit on top of dirt; instead, there are some crushed stones that serve as a solid base. However, as time goes on, this stone base can disintegrate. When this happens, your asphalt driveway can sink.
If your driveway has signs of sinking, it can be an indication that the water from your downspouts is coming down too close to the surface. In addition to getting your asphalt repaired, you may need to get your gutters fixed too.
Get Asphalt Driveway Repair Promptly
If you’ve seen any of the above 7 signs, you need to get asphalt driveway repair promptly. The longer you wait, the more damage will occur. Not only will that mean longer repair times, but also a bigger bill.
So keep an eye out for these 7 signs, since time is of the essence. You’ll want to take immediate action should the asphalt on your driveway need repairs.
If you’re interested in asphalt driveway repair services, then get in touch with us today to get a free quote!