Why Should Asphalt Maintenance in Houston be a Priority for Property Owners?

If you suspect that your asphalt needs maintenance, consider scheduling a professional inspection with a reputable Houston asphalt contractor. During an inspection, your asphalt contractor will note any signs of distress or damage and recommend the right approach to restoring your pavement. The asphalt contractor may recommend any of the following services:

• • Asphalt sealcoating – Asphalt sealcoating is a routine, but extremely important part of pavement maintenance. During a round of asphalt sealcoating, your pavement contractor will spray the sealcoat on the surface.
    

    Asphalt sealcoat is similar to a layer of wax as it provides significant protection against wear, weather and sun. It also provides modest protection against impact and abrasion, as it works to “glue” the asphalt’s surface aggregates together.

    Asphalt sealcoating is the most cost-effective form of asphalt maintenance in Houston. Sealcoat is applied after new asphalt is installed and recommended every 12-18 months thereafter.

  • Asphalt crack and pothole repair – If caught early, cracks and potholes can be reliably addressed, and they need to be, or they will lead to worsening issues with your pavement. Houston asphalt contractors typically repair cracks by filling them with a flexible, asphalt-based compound. High quality crack fillers provide an excellent seal and can flex with the pavement as it is exposed to thermal stress.
    
    Asphalt potholes usually require more work as they are the result of deeper, base-level failures with the pavement. These must be resolved first, typically by extracting the failed patches of asphalt, stabilizing the underlying base and then rolling new hotmix asphalt into the exposed open spots.

  • Asphalt overlaying – Asphalt overlaying is a more involved form of asphalt maintenance and is intended to rejuvenate the pavement’s surface. During an asphalt overlay, the existing pavement is milled down to a specified depth (typically a couple of inches). If there are any base instabilities, they are corrected once the old asphalt surface is removed. Then, an adhesive-like tack coat is sprayed on the pavement before a new layer of hotmix is rolled out.
    

    Overlaying asphalt pavement will extend its life by several years and is recommended when the pavement is around halfway through its lifespan.

  • Asphalt reclamation or replacement – If your asphalt is nearing the end of its lifespan, you may not have maintenance options outside of tearing out the old pavement and replacing it with fresh asphalt. When total asphalt replacement is necessary, some pavement contractors can reclaim the old asphalt and use it as part of the new pavement’s base. This can save property owners considerable time and money on investing in virgin materials.
    

    During full asphalt replacement, the existing pavement is removed down to the base and reinstalled with a fresh base course. Additional asphalt layers are installed over this base, until the surface is laid down and rolled out for optimal stability.