Driveways need regular maintenance to keep it free of debris and extend its life. However, climate, high traffic, lack of maintenance, aging, poor construction leads to a range of driveways issues, due to which it is important to Repair Cracked and Uneven Driveway Timely.
Here are some of the common asphalt driveway issues;
- Potholes– Potholes are bowl-shaped depressions in the driveways that tend to expand over time as moisture and water accumulate in the area. In simple terms, potholes are called wide holes that occur due to multiple issues. The poor weather condition and standing water can cause potholes in the driveway. The depth of the potholes not only makes the driveways look bad but also can cause harm to the vehicle moving over the driveways. Ensure you approach the driveway repair contractor to repair potholes as soon as possible.
- Longitudinal Cracking– These types of cracks run lengthwise through your driveway. Longitudinal cracking occurs when the asphalt shrinks as the temperature significantly drops. This is why many people choose to lay new driveways in the summer. Before the longitudinal cracking gets bigger in size and starts to affect the major portion of the driveway, get it repaired as quickly as possible with the help of a driveway repair contractor.
- Edge Cracking– Edge cracks tend to develop on the side of the driveway under the heavy load of the vehicle. This is why they are referred to as edge cracking. This generally occurs in the rural areas where the driveways are not as wide as driveways in the cities.
- Alligator Cracking– This is also known as fatigue cracking. It is one of the common ways the asphalt driveways deteriorate over time. Alligator cracking gets its name from distinctive cracking patterns that look like scales on alligators’ backs. This tends to occur due to a weakened base course, overloading, and very low pavement thickness.
- Block Cracking– As its name suggest, block cracking refers to large and rectangular cracks in the driveway surface. This type of crack occurs even when there is no major traffic flow. These blocks create when the asphalt binders do not expand as expected. It may happen due to the poor choice of asphalt binder in the mix. Find the best contractor to Repair such cracked and uneven driveway.
- Surface Breakdown– Also known as reveling, a surface breakdown occur is when the particles of the surface begin to break down and crumble away due to the standing water. Over time, the surface thickness decrease and loose gravel. As the gavel penetrates the asphalt, the water enters the surface and causes damage to the driveway. This ultimately leaves you with an uneven surface that is not good to drive a vehicle. If the reveling is spread in the larger area, get help from the driveway repair contractor, who has a trained team and advanced tools to repair the driveway.
- Water-filled Depressions– Depressions are a low area of the driveway caused by poor compaction during the construction process. If it is not fixed in a timely manner, the water begins to collect and seep into the surface and weaken its sturdiness. There are two major ways to fix this depression. For instance, if it is minor depression, add asphalt mix on the top of the pavement. However, this patching will fix this compaction issue forever. The permanent is the best way to fix this problem.
- Asphalt Upheaval- It is an upward movement of a certain portion of the driveway surface due to the swelling of the sub-grade. And this swelling occurs due to excess moisture or freezing. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the affected area and add a full-depth asphalt patch.
The Final Words
If you follow the care tips and give regular maintenance, the asphalt driveways can last up to 30 years. To make sure your investment in the driveway does go wasted, hire the driveway repair contractor to repair cracked and sinking driveway. This is key to extending the life of your driveway. Hence, if you notice the above common asphalt driveway issue, reach out to your contractor and get it fixed.
