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The Differences Between Summer Asphalt and Winter Asphalt: Need To Knows

To the average person, and they look like pretty much all asphalt the same. After all, asphalt looks like a hard, black substance that is made from small rocks that have been stuck together using tar. At the same time, experts in the industry understand that asphalt comes in many shapes and forms. In order for people to find the right asphalt to meet their needs, they need to understand the differences between the types of asphalt. One of the biggest differences between different types of asphalt and all the time of year during which it is used. Two of the most popular types of asphalt are summer asphalt and winter asphalt. Those who are looking to get the most out of their asphalt need to trust an asphalt company to explain the differences to them.

An Overview of Summer Asphalt

First, it is important to highlight the summer asphalt. Usually, summer asphalt is available between April and December. In some places, this is also referred to as hot asphalt. This type of asphalt is used to pave certain areas such as long driveways, roads, and parking lots. Usually, this type of asphalt is next at around three hundred degrees Fahrenheit. It is also made during the summer, thus the name.

Hot asphalt has to remain at this temperature and has to be applied quickly after it is mixed. If this asphalt cools, it can be harder to lay. If this asphalt does end up cooling, it can be reheated; however, this will also impact its quality. Because this type of asphalt has to be applied on the ground that is both dry and warm, this is the most common type of asphalt available during the summer.

An Overview of Winter Asphalt

Next, it is important to talk about winter asphalt. Because most asphalt is laid during the summer, winter asphalt is usually reserved for patching repairs. Winter asphalt can be used to tackle situations involving potholes, cracks, and other common problems. When this type of asphalt is poured on the cooler ground that is present during the winter, it usually takes longer to cure. As a result, smaller batches are better. This is our winter asphalt can help.

Winter asphalt is usually available between the months of January and March. Furthermore, this type of asphalt does not need to be reheated constantly. Often, this makes it easier to use. Furthermore, winter asphalt can also be stored and used later if there are other patching issues that arise. As a result, winter asphalt has a wide array of applications; however, it is usually not used to pave large parking lots and long roads.

Trust the Expertise of an Experienced Asphalt Company

This is a brief overview of the similarities and differences between two common types of asphalt. If you have asphalt needs, then you need to make sure that you rely on the right type to help you with your issues. This is where the guidance of an experienced asphalt company can help. When you rely on a helpful asphalt company, you can rest easy knowing that you are going to end up with a high-quality product that has been built to last. Make sure that your asphalt is both durable and reliable.

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Tips to Avoid Pricey Asphalt Repairs

An asphalt driveway, parking lot or other parcel can be extremely durable and continue to look good for a long time. However, to keep your asphalt in good condition, it is important that you keep it properly maintained. There are five tips in particular that could be followed to help protect your asphalt, extend its useful life and prevent more costly repairs in the future.

 

Remove all Debris

One of the most important asphalt care tips to follow to keep your asphalt in good working order is to remove all debris that you come across. Tree branches and other debris are going to be blown onto your asphalt from time to time. When these items are not removed, they can block the flow of water and create standing pools. This could start to cause deterioration and damage to your asphalt. Due to this, it is very important that you have this debris removed as soon as it is noticed. This can be even more important during the winter months when ice and snow could form around the debris.

 

Repair and Seal All Cracks and Holes

For asphalt maintenance, it is also very important that you have the asphalt repaired as soon as you can. If you notice that there are small holes and cracks in your asphalt, you should call a professional for asphalt repair to ensure these are filled in as soon as you can. When you have these holes repaired, it will help to prevent ice, salt, water and other debris from getting in, which could cause further damage in the future.

 

Shovel Regularly

If your business is located in a cold climate, the impact of bad winter weather on asphalt can be noticeable. Once the snow and ice melts, many people will identify a range of holes and cracks in their asphalt. However, this can be managed better if you shovel regularly. When you are able to shovel on a regular basis, it will help to clear all of the snow and ice and will prevent cracking.

 

Be Careful of De-Icing Products

While it is important to get rid of snow and ice, you should be careful about the products that you use. Most of the major de-icing products that you will find will contain rock salt. While this can help to break down and prevent ice, it can also cause serious damage to your asphalt. For proper asphalt care, you should look for a product that uses potassium chloride as it will be effective without harming your asphalt.

 

Don’t Ignore Pooling Water

If you notice that there is standing water on your asphalt, you should have the issue fixed as soon as you can. Pooling water can be due to poor drainage or deterioration of the asphalt. If you do not call a professional for asphalt repair to fix this issue quickly, it will continue to become more problematic as it will cause further deterioration and pot holes.

Ultimately, with proper asphalt maintenance and care, you could expect that your asphalt will last for a long time. To ensure that you are caring for your asphalt, you should follow these five tips. These will help to ensure that you remain diligent about caring for your asphalt, which will keep it in great shape for years to come.

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When to Patch, Resurface, or Repair

Repairing a driveway can be very expensive at times. Even though the driveway is made of concrete or bricks, installing a new driveway makes things very expensive. All you have to decide is whether you need your driveway to be patched, resurfaced, or repaired.

Since repairing a driveway could be very expensive, most of the homeowners fail to replace their driveway and instead choose to patch the cracks and the awful spots on the driveway. This could be cheap at that time, but in the long run, it could turn out to be more than expensive for you. Before you decide what to do in your driveway, you need to consider several factors to ensure you are getting the right option for your driveway repair.

With so many cars moving on your driveway for a long time, your driveway will begin to show signs of damage. The first thing that you will start to realize is having small cracks as well as some divots on the material that is used in making the driveway. If the cracks on your driveways are not that deep, it is good to decide to repair your driveway. All you need is some liquid crack fillers for filling the cracks in the driveway. In case the cracks are more substantial, maybe a width of more than a quarter-inch, it is clear that your driveway is in a mess. If you repair such cracks on your driveway by just filling them using liquid crack fillers, the problem will be solved but temporarily.

Driveway patching

In case your driveway has some holes in it, you need to ensure that you patch the holes using some patching materials. Although you will have your driveway patched, water will still find its way through the patches. With time the water will begin opening the holes on your driveway again. Some homeowners will choose to patch the driveways by themselves rather than hiring concrete contractors to repair. Patching your driveway pushes the replacement of your driveway for quite some time.

Driveway replacement

The look on your driveway could be the main factor that gives your home a complement. If your driveway is in bad shape, then your home will also be in the same shape. Consequently, if you are the type of homeowners who sells houses, you will realize that your buyers will tend to look at whether the driveway has holes and cracks on it. If this is the situation on your driveway, then it would be best to replace it rather than patching it. This type of concrete repair would be best for the driveways whose conditions are deplorable. Although it could be costly, the replacement on your driveway could give your driveway the best look that every homeowner will want.

Driveway resurfacing

At any time you want to hire any concrete contractors to work on the patches that are always on your driveway or redo it, you should think about resurfacing it. When you get the best contractors for concrete repair, they will help you in resurfacing your driveway. Resurfacing your driveway involves removing the topmost layer on the driveway and replacing it with another. The best thing with having your driveway resurfaced is that it becomes brand new. Even if there are cracks and pits on the driveway, when you resurface it, you will not have the same problem for quite some time. When the driveway is resurfaced, all the cracks and the pits will be repaired at the same time. This is the best option if you want to have your driveway looking better at all times.

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Pavement and Fuel Consumption: Is There a Link?

Fuel efficiency in motor vehicles has been a major concern ever since the 1970s and has garnered even more attention in recent years due to the global warming debate. Interested parties include environmentalists, government agencies, vehicle manufacturers, the trucking and transportation industries, and the everyday consumer driving their cars. The focus has mainly been centered on creating better vehicle designs, with more aerodynamic forms and fuel-efficient engines, as well as alternative fuels. But recently a whole new field of environmental science has emerged that is taking a close look at the pavement that vehicles drive on and how it affects fuel efficiency. Their findings so far indicate that pavement does indeed have a significant impact on how much fuel a vehicle uses with far-reaching implications for those concerned with road construction and asphalt maintenance.

Roughness And Responsiveness

Asphalt is by far the most used material for building roadways around the world, accounting for about 90% of the 2.5 million miles of pavement existing in the U.S. and 3.2 million miles in Europe. The scientists and engineers who are studying the relationship between pavement characteristics and fuel consumption are generally measuring the effects of three basic factors:

  • Roughness – The smoothness of the roadway affects the drive train components and suspension system of a vehicle as well as the flexing of the sidewalls of the tires. A rough pavement makes these systems work harder, which in turn causes the engine to work harder to overcome these stresses, using more fuel.
  • Macrotexture – This is a measurement of the pavement surface that has an effect on the friction and resistance between the tires and the road.
  • Structural Responsiveness – This is a measure of how much a pavement material will deform, or give, under the weight of a vehicle passing over it.

All of these factors taken together have a big impact on fuel consumption. And they change over time as the roadway is used and as natural elements such as heat, cold, and water deteriorate the pavement and cause potholes and rough surfaces requiring asphalt repair.

Smoother Is Better And Asphalt Is Best

The research has shown that the smoothness of pavement is the dominant factor in fuel efficiency. The rougher the road, the greater the fuel consumption. And the studies have shown that asphalt is the best material for the construction and maintenance of smooth pavements. A U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) report in 1999 stated: “Concrete roads may produce rougher readings than asphalt roads, even if the concrete road is of very high quality. Features such as joints between sections can contribute to the roughness of concrete highways.”

It’s clear that making a bigger investment in asphalt maintenance on the nation’s highways and byways at the federal, state, and local level will have significant benefits for fuel-efficiency. This would not only help to make for a cleaner environment, but it would save the trucking and transportation industries, as well as the average consumer, a lot of money on fuel costs, which would be good for the economy. It would also mean significant savings on vehicle maintenance and repair.

Adequate asphalt maintenance and repair should be a high priority for the nation’s policymakers. It’s the right thing to do.

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Spring Cleaning Your Parking Lot: A DIY Guide

Keeping a run down and the disheveled parking lot is a risky proposition. Holes in the asphalt can cause blown out tires, which is a nuisance and can lead to unnecessary tire repair requests. Customers tripping and falling on your property is even worse because they might hurt themselves and potentially sue for damages.

To avoid these scenarios, it’s best to focus on asphalt maintenance and repair. Tackle this project during the warm spring months to get your parking lot up to snuff. And then focus on maintenance to keep your property looking pristine and in good repair.

1. Regular Asphalt Cleanings Are an Absolute Must.

Cleaning your parking lot is about more than presenting an attractive appearance. While it’s certainly nice to keep a clean lot for your customers, cleaning and maintaining your lot will go a long way toward preserving the durability and lifespan of your asphalt.

Start by removing and eliminating all surface debris. Get rid of the garbage, leaves, and other trash and refuse built up marring the surface of your parking lot. By removing this gunk and debris on a regular basis, you’ll prevent damage and unsightly stains from ruining your attractive asphalt parking lot floor.

2. Fix Unsightly Potholes Using Proper Asphalt Repair.

Potholes are going to happen whether you like it or not. When water works its way underneath the pavement’s surface, it expands and contracts and gets underneath in the groundwater. This creates potholes that will otherwise ruin your asphalt.

Proper asphalt repair means completing the pothole repair process. This process consists of four steps and is simple enough for every DIY expert looking to save a couple of bucks by making the repairs themselves.

The 4 step process to fix potholes includes:

  • Cleaning out the pothole by removing unnecessary and unwanted dirt and debris that gets underneath the pavement. This debris can otherwise weaken a pothole repair.
  • Heating up the pothole is necessary for the elimination of excess moisture. Getting rid of this extra moisture from beneath the payment makes it possible to apply new asphalt.
  • Putting new asphalt in the pothole is the third step. For the most part, hot mix asphalt is the ideal choice to perform this repair. After applying it in the hole, you should compact the asphalt to increase resistance and ensure water reduction.
  • Cooling the new asphalt is the fourth and final step. If more debris is discovered around or near the repair, please remove it at this time.

All in all, it’s typically okay to drive on repaired potholes immediately after fixing the problem. So don’t worry about cordoning off the area because it’s an unnecessary inconvenience at best.

3. Sealcoating Is an Excellent Choice for Asphalt Maintenance.

Sealcoating is a powerful way to prolong the health and lifespan of your asphalt parking lot. Why? Simply put, it fills in the damaged areas on the surface by providing a protective coating.

Sealcoating is perfect because it prevents water damage, damage from vehicle fluid, and it even stops harm from powerful UV rays dead in its tracks. To achieve the best results with seal coating, you should apply a new coat every 3 to 5 years to gain maximum surface protection.

Each new seal coating application means giving your surface a fresh and updated look. It’s also the perfect way to guarantee proper asphalt maintenance.

Recap

In conclusion, please remember that parking lot of spring cleaning and maintenance is a must to keep your asphalt in excellent condition. Always remember to clean the surface, repair potholes as they pop up, and apply seal coating every 3 to 5 years to ensure proper maintenance and asphalt repair. If you follow these guidelines, your parking lot will maintain an attractive appearance for many years to come.