Asphalt – Fill It With Sealer or Crack Repair?
You will need to have the cracks professionally repaired if you want the best results. Sealers are not the proper material to use for crack filling; trying to fill cracks with sealers will only cost you time, money and frustration.
Asphalt – Fill It With Sealer or Crack Repair?
• Asphalt needs to “flex” with the weight of traffic as well as with temperature fluctuations. Sealcoating provides a hard, inflexible finish that is ideal for protecting the pavement underneath it. However, this inflexibility means that when applied to cracks, the sealer itself will crack very quickly.
• Hot rubberized asphalt is usually chosen to fill cracks. Since the filling material is asphalt, it has the same qualities as the rest of your pavement, such as flexibility, good adherence and resiliency.
• Cracks that are not properly filled allow dirt, debris or moisture to reach the pavement’s foundation. This can result in costly repairs if the foundation must be rebuilt. Existing cracks can worsen or potholes can form, making it necessary to remove large areas of damaged pavement to access the foundation. Once the foundation is repaired, new pavement will need to be applied.
• If cracks have been ignored but the foundation is still stable, you may have to have your pavement patched. This is a more extensive repair than crack filling, which is why it is so important to have cracks repaired as they appear.
• Although the Las Vegas area does not have severe winters, temperatures do occasionally drop below freezing. In the summer, the temperatures can be uncomfortably high. Temperature extremes can make any existing cracks worse, so inspecting your lot and having repairs made in the fall and spring can help you prevent more costly damages.
If you need cracks in your pavement filled or any other asphalt maintenance and repair service, contact the experts at Affordable Striping & Sealing. We provide a wide range of asphalt-related services to customers throughout the greater Las Vegas area. We are committed to providing the best customer service and highest quality results at affordable prices. Whether you need sealcoating, parking lot striping, road markings, crack filling or traffic sign installation in Las Vegas, we can help. Submit our online form for a free estimate, or give us a call at 702-222-9009.
