Although asphalt paving has many uses, it cannot always be properly applied. The weather plays a big role in how well your paving contractor can deliver services. If you live in an area that has regular below-freezing temperatures in the winter as Massachusetts does, you need to be aware of the limitations your asphalt contractor faces. The team at Cassidy Paving understands the intricacies of proper installation and sometimes it is just too cold to do a good job. Here is everything you need to know about temperature and asphalt paving.
What to Know About Asphalt and Cold Weather
Impact of Your Climate
Your pavement project can be significantly impacted by temperature. When you think of the importance of climate, we are not just talking about the degree of warmth in the air, but the ground as well. The heat of the ground helps to determine if an asphalt contractor can do the job properly. Even if the air temperature has gone up throughout the day, the ground will still need more time to catch up to that number. This is why the crew at Cassidy Paving prefers to wait until springtime to do big hot mix asphalt jobs because we know that the ground will consistently be above 45 degrees (the minimum temperature needed for hot mix asphalt application). Anything below that is arguably too cold for asphalt paving.
Why It Matters
Hot mix asphalt is the type of asphalt that is most commonly used in big projects such as driveways, parking lots, and commercial jobs. Those types of jobs cannot be accommodated with a cold mix asphalt that is typically done in small, ambient batches. Although you can apply it in cold temperatures because it does not require heat to be flexible, it will only last you about 6 months under the best circumstances. If you want something that is going to last, hot mix asphalt is your best bet and it cannot be done well until the ground temperatures are at 45 degrees and above on a consistent basis. Asphalt that is applied at the incorrect temperature will not compact or cure correctly. Asphalt Magazine says that “compaction locks the asphalt-coated aggregate particles together to achieve stability and provide resistance to deformation (or rutting) while simultaneously reducing the permeability of the mixture and improving its durability”. Paving at the correct temperature means that your asphalt will be able to withstand heavy loads for many years to come with the proper maintenance.
Emergency Asphalt Repairs
Despite our best efforts, we know that sometimes there are issues with asphalt that just cannot wait until spring to be fixed, especially issues creating liability problems for your customers and staff. Cassidy Paving does offer emergency asphalt repairs as needed with cold mix options. These are not meant to be permanent fixes, but just patches to hold your pavement over until the warmer months. If you have something that needs to be addressed sooner than later, it never hurts to give us a call at 866-978-9788. We offer certified asphalt repair all across Massachusetts and we can help you come up with a plan to get you through the winter and into the warmer months for a more permanent fix.