Asphalt is one of the best and most durable materials for an El Paso road, driveway, or parking lot. It holds up well under the elements, can support a ton of weight and pressure, and looks great in the process! However, while asphalt is a premium material, it’s not invincible and can be prone to a variety of issues. While you can potentially repair many of these issues yourself or perform a temporary fix, you should contact professionals for long-term, professional asphalt repair.
If you require asphalt repair, Rick’s Paving and Sealing in El Paso can help. Contact us or call 915-204-4378 to learn more about our services and get a quote today!
5 Common Asphalt Problems and How to Repair Them
Here are the five most common asphalt problems that people run can encounter.
Depressions
Depressions are the first and one of the most common asphalt repairs we see at Rick’s Paving. Depressions are like dents in your pavement and are often precursors to full-blown potholes. In most cases, depressions happen because of improper asphalt installation.
To fix a depression in your asphalt, you can perform a permanent or a temporary fix.
- To perform a temporary fix, simply dump some asphalt on top of the depression and fill it in. The issue with this is that it won’t fix the underlying issue. It will simply make your asphalt easier to drive on in the short term.
- Your second option is to perform a permanent fix. However, permanent fixes require you to break up the asphalt and completely rapport it. This is an asphalt repair best left to the pros.
Potholes
If your depression develops into a full-blown pothole, you’ve got another set of problems. Potholes can also result from excessive cracks, known as alligator cracks. Regardless of what caused your pothole to form, here’s how to fix it.
- Remove water and debris from within the pothole.
- Pour your patching material into the pothole and pack it firmly with your truck tires, vibratory compactor, or roller.
- Check your work and add more patching materials as needed.
Cracks
Cracks are the most common asphalt repair issues and are often precursors to more major problems. Cracks are difficult to repair unless you know what you’re doing, because there are several different types of asphalt cracks.
- Edge cracks
Edge cracks are long and unsightly and typically happen within one to two feet of the edge of the asphalt. They typically result because there isn’t enough support on the outer edges of the asphalt.
- Alligator cracks
Alligator cracking, also known as fatigue cracking, develops over time because your asphalt can’t handle the pressure and weight of vehicles.
- Block cracks
Block cracks are when cracks form in the shape of a block or square and can vary in shape and size.
- Longitudinal cracks
Longitudinal cracks are long, unsightly cracks that happen because your asphalt was installed incorrectly.
No matter what type of crack you have, it’s important to contact a professional for long-term, reliable repairs.
Raveling
Raveling is a serious issue and is a complete breakdown of your asphalt. The best way to fix raveling is with professional asphalt repair and replacement.
Swelling
Swelling or bumps in your asphalt is the opposite of a depression and is usually results from freezing temperatures and ground expansion. Once again, swelling is difficult to repair unless you remove the damaged areas and completely re-pour them using professional asphalt repair services.
Who to Contact for Professional Asphalt Repairs
While you can perform many of these asphalt repairs yourself, they won’t be as thorough or long-lasting as when you hire the professionals at Ricks Paving. We can perform any type of asphalt repair and have your El Paso driveway, road, or parking lot looking as good as new. We’ll even perform restriping if the damage occurs in a marked parking lot. Contact us or call 915-204-4378 to schedule an appointment and learn more about our asphalt repair process.
