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If your property has an asphalt driveway, then you’ll need to take care of it and maintain it. Asphalt driveways are popular across Australia, but many homeowners with asphalt driveways end up facing the same issues. These issues include cracks, the formation of puddles, potholes, surface depression, as well as other issues.
Homeowners who maintain their asphalt driveways on a regular basis won’t have to contend with many of these issues in the long run.
Why Are Asphalt Driveways Popular?
Asphalt driveways are durable, and they are budget-friendly as well. There are several benefits to installing an asphalt driveway. These include:
- Asphalt driveways tend to be more durable and hardy compared to either concrete or gravel driveways.
- Asphalt driveways can withstand various weather elements, such as high heat or extreme cold. They also perform well under rainy as well as sunny weather.
- Asphalt driveways can withstand pressure from various kinds of vehicles without any issue.
- Asphalt driveways are eco-friendly options as well since they can be recycled.
Homeowners across Australia are opting for asphalt driveways since they don’t crack or flake due to the hardy and resilient material that goes into making them. Should cracks appear, then repairing an asphalt driveway is inexpensive as well.
What Is Asphalt?
Asphalt may also be referred to as blacktop. Asphalt is made by combining rubbles as well as pebbles. A mixture of petroleum is used to keep these rubbles and pebbles together.
The materials used to make asphalt are easily accessible, which is why asphalt driveways are a budget-friendly option. Despite being budget-friendly, asphalt driveways are resilient and some of the best quality driveways available.
Why Do You Need To Maintain Your Asphalt Driveway?
Asphalt driveways are designed to be low maintenance, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t need to take care of it from time to time. If you want your asphalt driveway to stay resilient, then you’ll need to maintain it. By regularly maintaining your asphalt driveway, you can protect it against damage.
There are several things you should watch out for when it comes to maintaining your driveway. If there are sections that are low lying in your asphalt driveway, then they can become flooded if it rains. If left unattended, then the paving can eventually crack. Should there be deep pools of water, then these will also need to be repaired to avoid further deterioration.
Another issue you may face is weeds. These can sprout around the edges of curbs, or along the sides of your asphalt driveway. These should be removed as soon as possible to prevent the development of cracks.
Cracks can appear in your driveway due to other issues as well. There could be base issues or even root damage. These should not be repaired before the damage can grow, which can increase your repair costs.
You can also find the development of potholes in an asphalt driveway. These can cause tire damage or cause people to trip as well. Potholes need to be repaired in order to prevent them from growing.
What Causes Asphalt Driveways To Need Repair?
An asphalt driveway regularly has to contend with various kinds of temperatures, weather, elemental changes, and more. Without maintaining your asphalt driveways, existing problems will continue to become worse. Some of the common problems you can encounter include:
- Potholes
- Block cracks
- Fading
- Edge cracks
- Oil spots
- Alligator cracks
- Raveling
- Grass and weeds growing
How Do You Care For Your Asphalt Driveway?
Caring for your asphalt driveway begins soon after its installation. Maintaining your driveway for the first two weeks after its installation is crucial. This is because, during this time, the material is still vulnerable. For the first five days, no one should drive on the asphalt driveway at all. You should also wait for up to two weeks before you allow anyone to park their car on your new asphalt driveway.
The following hundred days is also a critical period when it comes to ensuring that your asphalt driveway stays resilient. Remember that asphalt is held together by petroleum, which is a medium that is oil-based. These have a longer curing time, so you’ll need to care for your asphalt driveway. This is especially true for the summer months when you should take special precautions as well.
An example of this is to not park or allow anyone to park their car on your asphalt driveway when it’s the hottest hour of the day. Another example is to not turn the wheel of your car unless your car is actually moving. This is as, otherwise, wheel treads can develop on your asphalt driveway.
If you’re going to park a camper, or any other vehicle used for recreation on your asphalt driveway for a long time, precautions are needed. You should consider placing pieces of plywood under the wheels of such vehicles.
Continuing Maintenance For Your Asphalt Driveway
After the curing process, caring for your asphalt driveway is less rigorous since these are low maintenance. Despite this, consider conducting visual inspections annually to check and see if anything needs repair. Asphalt driveways should be inspected every summer, as well as every winter. This allows you to deal with issues immediately as they arise.
You’ll also need to repair as well as fill cracks when they appear. These can easily be filled with using an asphalt sealer. For more extensive cracking, consider getting the help of an asphalt driveway repair professional. You should also watch out for standing water in your asphalt driveway, as these can cause further damage when left alone.
The edges of your driveway need to be cared for as well, as these are the weakest parts. Avoid driving on these to avoid cracking them. Grass and weeds should be removed as well, as these could cause root damage.
Avoiding gasoline as well as oil spills is essential as well since asphalt is already held together by petroleum. Oil and gasoline can dissolve your asphalt driveway’s surface. If you’re thinking about de-icing your asphalt driveway, use rock salt or potassium chloride instead.
Conclusion
Caring for your asphalt driveway gold coast will ensure that it stays durable and resilient for a longer period of time. Use this guide to care for your asphalt driveway and maintain it, so you don’t have to deal with expensive repairs later.
