When your asphalt driveway starts to crack or deteriorate, it's important that you're proactive about repairs. After all, those cracks provide a key portal for water to access the foundation materials. Not only can the water cause erosion of the foundation, it can contribute to weed growth and even form frost heaves when the temperatures start dropping below freezing.
Preparing For Repairs
Preparation is essential to the success of asphalt repairs. Whether you're doing the work yourself or reaching out to a contractor for hot spray asphalt filler, you still need to be sure that the work area is prepared.
Plan the repair for a day when you have clear, sunny and dry weather. Make sure there's been no rain in the last few days before the repair and look to the forecast to ensure that no rain is currently predicted in the next couple of days.
The day before the repairs, take time to remove any weeds or grass that is growing in the cracks. Try to get the roots and everything so it doesn't grow back. If the roots won't come out, spray inside the crack with some white vinegar. It'll kill the roots to keep them from coming back. If there's any debris in the crack, sweep it out with a hand-held brush or use compressed air.
Filling Shallow Cracks
Small, shallow cracks are easy to fill with a cold pour filler. You can put the filler into a caulking gun for easy application, especially if you have a crack that's kind of deep. The longer needle of the caulking gun extends the reach for you to get the filler where it needs to be. Fill the crack, and then scrape everything flat so it's level with the surface of the driveway.
Filling Wider Cracks
Wider cracks are harder to fill because they require a hot pour filler that needs to be applied by an asphalt contractor. They'll use a crack filling machine to heat the filler and pump it into the cracks. It relies on a set of hoses and a spray nozzle to get the filler from the machine to the driveway.
The cracks will be filled until the asphalt filler mounds up on the top. Then, it can be packed down and scraped flat. Make sure you tamp it down heavily so that it's well packed, and then let it cool and cure overnight.
Once you've had all of the cracks addressed, you might also want to inquire about the benefits of sealcoating the surface. This will protect the filler and the rest of the driveway.
For more information, contact Copperstate Hose or a similar company.
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