Although winter months aren’t usually very active for asphalt paving and repair, that doesn’t mean that you should ignore your asphalt. At Cassidy Paving, we highly suggest that you become familiar with how your pavement looks on its best day so that you will be prepared when things begin to change for the worse. Regular inspections of your pavement during the cold periods will help you to better prepare your time and budget for next year. It’s never too early to begin to think about your next paving project. Here are the top things to look for on your asphalt pavement during the cold Massachusetts winter.
Pooling Water
The freeze-thaw cycle will put your asphalt pavement construction through a great deal of expansion and contraction in winter. As your pavement shifts with the temperature, it can cause issues with drainage and indentation. According to Asphalt Magazine “adequate drainage of the pavement structure is considered to be the most important element in ensuring the long-term pavement performance”. This drainage includes both surface drainage and subdrainage, therefore you can have one system functioning, but if the other isn’t working properly, you will still find excess water. If your asphalt drainage is blocked by debris or a failing pavement structure, you will begin to see pooling water or an increase of ice in places where you didn’t see any before.
Cracks
As asphalt pavement shifts with the freeze-thaw cycle, that movement can cause issues. Cracks happen for a variety of reasons including excessive load and other temperature and environmental factors. This type of pavement distress can present itself in several patterns such as a scale-like pattern, longitudinal, transverse, or even on the edge of your pavement. Keep note of any sort of crack pattern that you notice throughout the winter so that our crew can thoroughly evaluate your driveway or lot for asphalt crack repair in the new year.
Potholes
Regardless of how prepared you were for the winter, asphalt potholes are often hard to avoid. With all of the shifts in the subsurface of your pavement during this time, you should keep a watchful eye on the early signs of pothole formation. Some of these signs include cracks that seem to spread over a short amount of time, bumps or bubbles anywhere on the surface, and visible crushing of asphalt when driven over. If you had a small pothole that wasn’t prepared before winter, it is likely that once the ground completely thaws it will be a much bigger pothole than you remember.
Planning for Next Year
Even if it’s winter, Cassidy Paving’s expert team can always come out and inspect your asphalt regardless of how cold it is. Early inspection means that when the ground warms up, you’re already on our list for repairs. This cuts down on the wait time and allows you to be in control of budgeting throughout the winter. The earlier you call us out, the better off you will be. Give us a call today at 866-978-9788 if you notice any irregularities in your asphalt so that we can provide you with the appropriate plan for asphalt pavement maintenance.