Doing things yourself can often help you when you’re on a budget or just want to take care of asphalt maintenance services without hiring someone. At Cassidy Paving, we understand that there may be a strong desire to try to handle that asphalt maintenance project on your own since everything seems doable with the ease of information on the internet and tutorials on YouTube. If you’re determined to give it a go yourself, here are the things you should try to do or avoid when starting your asphalt repair project.
How to Properly Attempt DIY Asphalt Maintenance
Choose the Right Time of Year
New England winters are really hard on asphalt pavement, whether that is your residential driveway paving or commercial paving. No doubt you’re starting to see some wear and tear. The first thing you should avoid is trying to do your work right now in the winter. If the ground is consistently at or below freezing, it’s just not the right time to do asphalt work. Wait until springtime so that you can take care of your DIY asphalt maintenance project. The experts even wait until the warmer weather, and that will make the most of your effort as well.
Understand the Extent of Work
Once the winter is over, you should be able to tell the full extent of the work that needs to be done. The freeze-thaw cycle in the Northeast is very hard on porous materials like asphalt, so you can expect a lot of expansion and contraction in the form of cracks and asphalt potholes. Making a thorough examination of the area at a warm temperature is best practice. Once you see all of the areas that need to be fixed, you can better plan what to do and expect. And remember, there’s more to asphalt repair than pouring in the materials. Make sure to do your research well ahead of time to make the best plan for exactly what you need.
Don’t Use Value Materials
We know that DIY jobs often have you at the hardware store comparing what’s on their shelf, but the value kits are not always the best option. One reason you may be doing this maintenance yourself is to save money, but the wrong materials will end up costing you more money in the long run than buying the best that you can. This is another step where research will be extremely beneficial to your end result. Low-quality materials can actually do more harm than good.
Don’t Avoid Help
Once your project starts and you find yourself getting overwhelmed, remember that Cassidy Paving is just a phone call away. We are here to help you in any step of the asphalt repair and sealing process. We always want you to do what you’re comfortable with, but our crew also wants you to be safe and get the most out of your paving investment. Give us a call today at 866-978-9788 to have someone take a look at your property. There’s no obligation, and our estimates are free throughout New England.