Once the holidays come to an end, most of us immediately start looking forward to spring. Unfortunately, in regions like New England, spring doesn’t tend to arrive until well into April. Considering just how long winter can seem, you’ll want to make the most out of the warmer weather when it gets here — the last thing you’ll want to deal with are significant asphalt repairs. In order to keep these repairs to a minimum, however, you must take good care of your asphalt surfaces all winter long. You won’t be able to repave until springtime, but here’s what you can do this winter to keep your asphalt in the best shape possible.
Asphalt Repairs to Save Work in Spring
Fill Minor Cracks
Cracks are common in asphalt, so don’t panic when you come across them. That said, don’t let said cracks linger for too long, especially during the winter months. The more openings there are in your parking lot or driveway, the easier it is for moisture to make its way inside and cause further problems. So, the sooner you tackle asphalt crack repair, the better. Note that your asphalt must be dry as a bone before getting started — the presence of moisture can prevent you from properly filling these cracks. Additionally, it’s wise to hire professionals to fill deeper, wider cracks in your asphalt.
Patch Potholes
Potholes can become major problems for your asphalt features. In addition to being eyesores, potholes pose a risk for vehicle and pedestrian safety (especially if snow conceals these large gaps). Plus, if you simply leave these potholes alone during winter, you’ll be left with even larger, deeper holes come springtime. Fortunately, you can patch potholes during winter, so long as the surfaces are dry (as mentioned above). Patching asphalt potholes in winter is a temporary measure via a process known as cold patching, but it’s nonetheless effective, filling potholes with a sturdy, hard surface until a more permanent fix can be administered down the road. Patching your potholes during winter will mean much less work during the spring.
Stop Snow from Taking Over
You might not be able to control how much snow winds up falling on your property, but you can control how much of it lingers on your asphalt surfaces. You don’t want the snow to stick around, either, as it will gradually melt into the pores, cracks, and holes underneath before refreezing and damaging your asphalt from the inside out. The better a job you do at keeping snow at bay this winter, the less you’ll have to worry about in the spring. Laying down non-corrosive de-icing agents on your asphalt will help prevent snow from building up. After a major accumulation, do your best to shovel and/or blow snow off your asphalt. If you’re dealing with a large property and plenty of snow, it’s best to hire snow clearing services to efficiently and reliably remove snow via plowing, blowing, and other means.
Let Your Asphalt Weather the Winter this Year
Winter weather is perhaps your asphalt’s greatest foe, but you don’t have to let the worst of winter tear your parking lot or driveway apart. Staying on top of asphalt maintenance throughout the cold season will leave you with less work and fewer headaches come springtime. So, do your future self a favor and hire asphalt paving contractors that know how to handle winter weather. At Cassidy Paving, we work year-round to provide the best asphalt maintenance, repair, and paving services available.
Call us today at 866-978-9788 for a free estimate on your next asphalt project.