The winter months can be tough on your asphalt. Last week we talked about winterizing your asphalt to prepare for the tough Baltimore winter ahead. Today we’ll walk you through why you want to winterize your pavement and what repairs could be necessary if you haven’t taken the necessary precautions (or if this winter turns out to be particularly snowy).
Why Is Winter So Hard on Asphalt?
The freeze thaw cycle can cause cracks and even holes in your asphalt. What may start off as a small crack can expand significantly throughout the winter months. Snow or rain in a small crack can freeze, causing the asphalt to expand, and the crack to widen. Couple this cycle with cars driving over weakened asphalt or salt making its way into the cracks and you get a recipe for potholes! Some things can be left until spring to patch, but many times it’s best to go ahead with a cold patch to avoid wear and tear to vehicles.
What Are My Options for the Winter Months?
- Preventive Measures – First thing first, it’s always important to take steps to prevent cracking and wear in the first place. Making sure that your asphalt is regularly seal coated can help prevent cracking and potholes in the winter months. You may have heard the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” before. While it may be an old cliché, it is still relevant today.
- Asphalt Patching – Cold weather patching used to be complicated and cumbersome, but it has gotten easier over the years. If you already have sizable cracks or holes, you should consider asphalt patching. Cold patches aren’t as strong as warm mix or hot mix asphalt, but they’ll help protect the rest of your asphalt until the weather warms up and we can provide a more permanent solution.
- Crack Fill – This one goes along with prevention. There’s no point in letting cracks get any bigger. While there are still a couple of warm days left, we advise that you have any cracks filled. It’ll stop the freeze thaw process in its tracks and mean less work for you during the spring and summer months.
Call PTG Enterprises For Your Winter Patching Needs
PTG Enterprises has been in the asphalt paving, concrete, and masonry business for more than a decade. We have seen it all before and we know the telltale warning signs of asphalt and pavement failure. And as a member of the Community Association Institute (CAI), National Facilities Management and Technology (NFMT), and Maryland Multi-Housing Association (MMHA) we are well-positioned to help you make the right financial decisions for your property or community association.
PTG stands out as an industry leader due to our methodology of pavement management planning: a systematic, long-term approach to managing and extending the life of your pavement. We will work with you to develop a comprehensive strategy to extend and maximize the lifespan of your asphalt and concrete surfaces.
If you have any questions about winter patching or crack fill, please contact PTG Enterprises today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can also check us out on Facebook and Twitter.
Source: Fix Asphalt
Tags: Asphalt Maintenance, Crack filling, patching
