For businesses, industrial complexes, roadways, and all types of facilities throughout the New England region, asphalt maintenance is a must-have service during winter months. Chilly, icy, snowy winters can cause significant damage to even the highest quality asphalt if it’s not prepared and maintained properly. And if there are existing structural issues or other types of damage, winter can certainly worsen those too. Read on to find out what winter can bring in terms of asphalt damage, and potential services you might consider getting this winter season.
Asphalt Maintenance Sevices to Consider During the Holidays
What Happens to Asphalt During the Winter?
Perhaps you manage a bustling office complex, shopping mall, or educational facility that sees a lot of year-round foot traffic. Maybe you operate an industrial or storage facility where heavy machinery and equipment are commonplace. High-traffic areas run the risk of damage and deterioration as is, but cold winter months pose an entirely different variety of risks to your asphalt.
Temperature changes and extreme cold can lead to cracking, and the freeze-thaw cycle means your asphalt will expand and contract – potentially leading to buckling or potholes. Enough of this damage can result in uneven surfaces as snow and ice accumulate, and then melt. If cracks already exist in your paved areas, moisture can leak into them, causing structural damage as it freezes when temperatures drop again.
Ice and snow management – like rock salting, plowing, and shoveling roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks – is essential for keeping your facility visible and safe. At the same time, however, these efforts can cause divots and fissures in the asphalt. When shoveling, consider using plastic shovels over metal to mitigate potential damage to your asphalt surface.
Full Depth Reconstruction
One of the most comprehensive asphalt maintenance services is full depth reconstruction. This process is typically necessary when there is deterioration below the surface of the asphalt, meaning that simple resurfacing might not be sufficient. In the case of full depth reconstruction, a team of experts will need to remove existing asphalt or concrete, replace the base material, and repave the asphalt.
If there are other related issues – like damage to water lines or sewers – these can be addressed during the process of full depth reconstruction. While this process can be lengthy and a bit more costly than minor fixes, it’s absolutely crucial in preventing further damage to your parking lots or roadways. Plus, if you’re facing any ADA compliance violations, a full depth reconstruction can return your asphalt to full functionality and ultimately protect you from common liability concerns. Full depth reconstruction is best performed in milder temperatures, so depending on where your facility is located, this is an important factor to keep in mind.
Reclamation/Pulverize and Grade Services
If your asphalt’s issues fall short of needing full depth reconstruction, you can consider asphalt reclamation services instead. This type of asphalt paving involves grinding the outermost asphalt layer, leaving a recycled base. Subsequently, new pavement can be laid on the base for smooth paving without having to budget time and expenses for more extensive services.
Pulverizing is best if you need up to 10 inches of pavement ground and resurfaced. Plus, it’s incredibly cost-effective since no new base materials are needed. Instead, the pulverized concrete itself makes up a new layer of pavement.
Overlay/Resurfacing Services
For more localized asphalt damage like cracking, potholes, and other surface-level issues, you might consider hiring an asphalt driveway maintenance company for overlay and resurfacing. Unlike full depth reconstruction (which requires completely destroying and rebuilding a faulty asphalt structure) or cut and patch repairs (which work to “fill in” potholes and cracks), overlay and resurfacing treats stretches of damaged asphalt or deteriorating pavement surfaces.
This cost-effective service is limited to the specific area needing repair, meaning the rest of your facility’s paving is usable and passable – this is especially beneficial for facilities that can’t afford a total shutdown for an asphalt maintenance crew to perform more extensive work. There will be no grinding up of the pavement either, since asphalt overlay utilizes the existing layers as a base for the project. You’ll come away with a new layer of asphalt, keeping your tenants safe and your driveways and parking lots in good condition through the winter and beyond.
Cut and Patch Repairs
Say you don’t have widespread asphalt damage. When Googling “asphalt maintenance near me” you might come across a wide variety of services that you don’t necessarily need. That’s why working with a knowledgeable team of asphalt experts with integrity is important. The team at Cassidy Paving, for instance, will advise you on exactly what asphalt solutions you need – and never recommend more than what will actually serve your facility best.
Cut and patch repairs are another minimally invasive offering to fix potholes, cracks, and uneven surface areas. This process involves removing existing pavement damage and then simply filling that space with fresh paving to restore your asphalt to its original condition. This can be done quickly and effectively, saving you time if you’re unable to allow a paving crew to inhabit your area for a more extended period. Keep your facility’s occupants safe from trips and falls – plus, keep your ADA compliance in check – with cut and patch asphalt maintenance services.
Asphalt Milling Services
Hiring a commercial paving company will allow you to target specific structural issues in your asphalt without necessarily breaking the bank. If you’re looking for something a bit less extensive that will nevertheless allow for critical repairs to your asphalt, consider asphalt milling. Milling, also known as cold planing, is a versatile paving method that can totally transform the look and condition of your pavement, including your driveways and parking lots, without extensive reconstruction and with less facility downtime. This is an ideal asphalt maintenance service to consider if you’re short on time – say, if your facility’s occupants may only be absent for a few days, rather than a few weeks.
If your asphalt has more superficial damage, the milling process allows a team of experts to remove the top layer only – including any obvious deterioration – leaving behind a grooved surface. Then, the “milled” surface can effectively provide a foundation over which a new asphalt layer can be installed, without demolishing the entire structure of the existing asphalt. What happens to the removed material? It can be recycled into an aggregate material (called millings), which may then be reused on other projects as an alternative base material. As much, milling is an eco-friendly option under the asphalt maintenance umbrella.
Keep Conditions in Mind when Making Asphalt Repairs
All of these options are available to you as solutions for your asphalt maintenance issues – but only when the conditions are suitable to perform these services. After all, asphalt shouldn’t be poured onto frozen ground or while heavy precipitation (like snow) is present. However, cold temperatures don’t prohibit you from receiving asphalt maintenance services entirely. Again, this is why it’s critical to work with a knowledgeable contracting team who can best advise you on when to get specific services done.
With Cassidy Paving, you won’t need to worry about being pressured into asphalt repairs when conditions aren’t optimal. We won’t perform any service if the elements aren’t cooperating, so you won’t waste time or money on repairs that won’t hold throughout the winter or be susceptible to damage from the elements. At the same time, we do offer repair services like cold patching that can be done during cold weather.
Contact Cassidy Paving to Meet All of Your Asphalt Maintenance Needs
If you’re attempting to repair or replace asphalt in New England, you’ll need a team that knows the climate, the risks of inclement winter weather, and the array of solutions that exist to meet your specific asphalt issues. Cassidy Paving is your one-stop shop for all things asphalt maintenance. Our team of subject matter experts can effectively, and efficiently assess the state and structure of your current asphalt and identify high-priority to-dos. Then, we’ll give you a quote on the repair or replacement processes.
Once you decide to move forward with Cassidy Paving asphalt maintenance services, you can expect the highest level of customer service, with communication throughout the project. We’ll work tirelessly to deliver high-quality results with the least amount of disruption to your facility’s operations as possible. Have questions along the way? No problem. Cassidy Paving’s team of representatives is here to answer them thoroughly, so you can rest assured that we’re working with the utmost transparency. Our full-time, bonded, fully-insured crew has over 100+ years of combined experience and can speak knowledgeably about the processes being performed on your asphalt.
We’re a family-owned and operated asphalt paving company serving customers throughout Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. We’re even headquartered Haverhill, MA, so when it comes to New England winters, we’re your go-to experts on taking great care of asphalt in any weather. Plus, we offer a guarantee on all new paving services to ensure your complete satisfaction. Contact us today to get the ball rolling on your winter asphalt maintenance and repairs!
