Check these asphalt maintenance essentials off your checklist
Proper asphalt maintenance can extend the lifespan of your asphalt.
Check for cracks and potholes to quickly repair broken asphalt.
Repairing an asphalt driveway costs $1,500 on average.
Reseal asphalt pavement every two to five years to protect it from the elements.
Maintaining your asphalt driveway is essential to having a driveway that is free from major cracks, potholes, or crumbling debris. By tackling any repairs and using preventative measures, you can help avoid needing to remove and replace the asphalt pavement, which can be far costlier than simply staying on top of your maintenance. With this in mind, here's what you need to know to have a long-lasting asphalt driveway.
As you go about with your asphalt maintenance, you'll notice there are several maintenance tasks to complete—as well as potential problems that need fixing. Keep the following types of asphalt maintenance items on your checklist for the most comprehensive maintenance project.
Sweeping: Driveway cleaning is an easy way to extend the life of your pavement. Sweep debris off the pavement using a stiff-bristled brush to prevent dirt from working its way into the asphalt and causing cracks.
Crack repairs: If you notice a crack, the best thing you can do is act fast. Use an asphalt repair patch to fill in cracks as they appear.
Pothole patching: Just as you would with repairing cracks you should also repair potholes with a pothole repair kit to prevent an even bigger hole down the line.
Powerwashing: After you've swept away debris from the surface of your asphalt, it's a good idea to follow it up with a quick power or pressure wash. Pressure washing driveways removes dirt and oil stains from asphalt pavement.
Sealing: After power washing, protect your asphalt pavement from UV damage and water penetration damage by sealing the asphalt with an asphalt-friendly sealer. The best frequency to reseal your driveway is every two years.
Weed removal: You’ll also want to get rid of weeds in your driveway before you repair any cracks by hand-pulling the weeds or pouring vinegar over the unruly plants.
Winterizing: To winterize asphalt pavement, make sure that your asphalt is up to date on its sealant. You should avoid salting your asphalt driveway, as rock salt can speed up the deterioration process that happens during the freeze-thaw cycle in colder weather.
Maintaining asphalt requires a consistent schedule and a good eye for signs that your asphalt driveway needs repairing. Check out the following best practices for maintaining asphalt:
Be sure to seal asphalt after laying new pavement on your property.
Choose a latex-based sealer, siloxane-based sealer, or acrylic sealant for asphalt driveways.
Reseal the asphalt pavement every three to five years.
Repair cracks as they appear.
Quickly fill potholes using a pothole patching kit.
For larger potholes, you may need to remove broken asphalt and pour fresh asphalt into the hole rather than use a patching kit.
Sweep and clean your asphalt pavement yearly to make it easier for you to detect signs of early damage.
Knowing what not to do is perhaps just as important as knowing what to do when it comes to maintaining asphalt. Make a note of the following things to avoid as you go about with your asphalt maintenance routine:
Avoid using an oil-based sealer for your asphalt pavement.
Keep sprinklers off the asphalt. Water will soften the pavement over time and cause potholes.
Limit traffic such as large trucks or dumpster rentals, as the extra weight can strain the asphalt and lead to cracks.
Don't put rock salt on your asphalt pavement come wintertime.
For larger repairs, you should consider working with a professional to repair the asphalt instead of doing it yourself.
Make sure to plan your maintenance accordingly. The best time to repave your driveway is late spring or early summer to avoid spring showers or fall chill.
Asphalt driveway repairs cost around $1,500 on average but can depend on the extent of the damage. You could spend anywhere from $300 to $4,700 to repair an asphalt driveway.
If your asphalt driveway is beyond repair, you'll need to replace it. The average asphalt driveway costs between $4,200 and $9,000 to install, depending on the size and thickness.
Staying on top of your regular asphalt maintenance checklist can help you save on the cost of hiring a dependable driveway company to lay a new asphalt driveway.
Repairing your cracked asphalt can buy you some time, but most driveways will need to be replaced eventually—regardless of the frequency of repairs and how well you maintain it. A typical asphalt driveway lasts about 20 years, although, with proper maintenance, you could get up to 30 or more out of it.
But if you find yourself in an endless cycle of repairs or repavings, especially close to the 15-year mark, a complete replacement will be a better investment in the long run.
Replacements are also a better option if you’re facing one of these issues:
Frequent pooling water
Visible thinning in certain areas
Failing base or sub-base
Need for reinforcement for heavier loads
Wanting to increase your home’s resale value
While you can tackle some asphalt maintenance tasks on your own, if you have several large cracks or potholes that need repairing, you may want to bring in the pros. An asphalt repair contractor near you can quickly get to the bottom of your asphalt maintenance issues to ensure that your asphalt lasts for years to come.
When hiring an asphalt company, there are a few questions you should ask to make sure you’re working with the right team. Outside of the basics like, “How much will asphalt repair cost?” you should also ask them things like:
What is your insurance policy?
Do you offer a guarantee on your product?
Does your team handle permits on my behalf?
Who exactly will complete the job?
How does your team handle the clean-up process?
If you’re working with a company that’s new to you, it’s also recommended to ask for some references or examples of past projects.
A good asphalt maintenance schedule covers all the pitfalls that can happen to your asphalt. Just how often you should maintain your pavement will depend on the type of maintenance. Resealing your asphalt driveway should be done between every three and five years. Cleaning is more of an annual task while repairing cracks and potholes come in on an as-needed basis.
You can expect your asphalt pavement to last anywhere from 20 to 30 years, or 25 years on average. The life expectancy of your asphalt driveway depends on the climate, the amount of traffic, and how well you maintain it. While you can’t necessarily control some of these factors, you can control the amount of maintenance effort you put into your driveway.
To keep your asphalt from deteriorating prematurely, you'll want to stay on top of a good maintenance routine involving regular cleaning, reparation work, and resealing.
If your driveway is cracked, you can repave it with a process called asphalt overlay. Overlay is more cost-effective than a full replacement but is better suited for minor cracks and issues. If you have major cracks or other problems like water pooling, asphalt overlay isn’t your best bet. Plus, paving over a cracked driveway only extends the lifetime by about 10 years, whereas replacing it would start the clock over completely to give you up to 30 years.
