How to Repair Or Replace Your Paving When the Cracks Spread

If you live in a state with low amount of rainfall, the chances are that your paving is made of asphalt. This material was originally used to pave streets and driveways and is still widely used in cities and towns in America. If you want to learn why you should replace it or repair it, read on.

First, understand that asphalt is made of two parts – asphalt and concrete. The cement mixture helps hold the asphalt in place while the asphalt absorbs the heat and keeps the cement from sticking to the surface. With a good cement mix, the asphalt keeps the pavement moist and maintains its durability. With proper maintenance, a high quality asphalt paving should last for many years.

However, a lot of people are not able to maintain their concrete surfaces to the best of their abilities. The weather can often get to them. If your asphalt is starting to crack or go soft, you will need to replace it before the cracks begin to expand and spread.

If you live in a state with a lot of snow, then you may experience damage and problems that occur a lot more frequently than a person who lives in a city or town with a lower amount of snow. Therefore, you will need to know how to repair or replace your paving when it starts to go soft and cracked.

You may start to notice a lot of cracks forming around potholes, cracks in the asphalt or in the concrete. You will need to be able to repair or replace your asphalt if the cracks begin to get worse. It is better to have the cracks repaired or replaced at this point than to wait until they continue to spread and get larger.

An area that is prone to cracking in asphalt is the middle of the pavement where the asphalt meets the concrete. If you notice that the cracks are expanding or spreading and becoming more severe, you will need to be able to repair or replace your asphalt. The crack is made up of small air pockets, and when they get larger, they can cause serious damage.

After the new cracks begin to form, they may continue to grow until they reach an expansion of about 5mm per day. This expansion is bad news. Your asphalt is not going to last very long if it continues to expand at this rate.

As you will soon discover, when a crack starts to grow, it will quickly spread to a large area, eventually reaching a diameter of about six inches. A lot of people try to wait for the expansion to stop before repairing or replacing their asphalt, but this is not the smartest thing to do. If the expansion continues, then you will need to repair or replace your asphalt right away.

One of the worst things that can happen when you notice that cracks are starting to form in your asphalt is when they turn into big holes. If you want to repair or replace your paving when it has turned into a big hole, then you should consider using a pressure washer to remove the excess cement. You can also call in a professional landscaper to see if they can cut out the hole or dig it out for you.

If you think that you can do a better job than a professional landscaper can, then you may want to consider learning how to repair or replace your asphalt. The cracks in the asphalt may have spread and started to turn into holes larger than six inches. You can repair or replace your paving by applying pressure to the asphalt and using a power jet saw or other power tool to cut out the excess cement.

You can apply the pressure using either water or a pressure washer. Sometimes the cracks will be too large for you to cut out on your own, so you will need to call a professional landscaper to come to your home and remove the excess concrete. Either way, the next time you notice cracks in your asphalt, you will know exactly what to do.

Knowing how to repair or replace your asphalt is the first step to keeping your asphalt looking great for years to come. The proper maintenance will extend the life of your asphalt by preventing damage and providing years of maintenance-free pavement.