Is your driveway in rough shape? Will repairs do the trick? Does it need to be resurfaced? Should you have it redone professionally? These are all questions that homeowners ask themselves when faced with a dilapidated driveway. Ultimately the best thing to do is the contact a professional like My Pavement Guy, but there are some things you can consider on your own.
According to this article on EzineArticles there are some important things to think about before consulting your contractor:
Maintenance is good medicine, but it’s not foolproof
Asphalt driveways don’t remain smooth and black forever. You can take steps to maintain your driveway by sealing and protecting it, but often the effects of heat, ultra-violet rays, and substances such as salt, oil, gas and grease take their toll. And if those don’t get you, then cracking and water penetration eventually will.
Your driveway may be corroded, worn out, or have cracks, which could all warrant a resurfacing job if the condition is severe enough. As a general guide, if repairs are needed on more than 25 percent of the surface, it is more cost-effective to do a hot mix asphalt resurfacing job over the entire driveway.
Say no to cracks!
Asphalt pavement is hard and brittle, and as a result, cracks will develop over time. Ranging from hairline to an inch wide or more, cracks are your driveway’s worst enemy because they let water in. In colder climates, freeze-thaw cycles can be very destructive, and can wreak havoc on your driveway if water penetrates the cracks, then expands as it turns to ice. And even in warmer climates, water penetration can cause serious damage. The larger the crack, the more serious the problem, and the sooner it needs to be fixed. Cracks that are left un-repaired will lead to serious deterioration of the pavement and even to the base layers, requiring complete replacement of the driveway – sooner rather than later in colder climates.
Can it be fixed or do you need a new driveway?
Whether you’ll need to rip out your existing driveway and install a new one, or if you can get away with resurfacing – or even some patchwork and crack-filling – depends largely on the condition of the base layers, or foundation. However, if cracking covers 3/4 of the driveway, the surface is too far gone to repair. The root of the problems may come from lower down, and a complete overhaul should be considered.
If your driveway has been resurfaced several times with hot mix asphalt and keeps deteriorating prematurely, it is likely a problem with the foundation, and you should consider installing a whole new driveway. Likewise, if there are areas that have depressions or mounds, they should be completely reconstructed from the base. If you have several of these areas, a new driveway might make sense.
For any of your asphalt needs or if you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
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