Asphalt pavements can be long-lasting, attractive, and economical, but you will need to give them some help along the way. Routine maintenance procedures, including crack repairs and sealcoating, can prolong the life of your pavement. However, sooner or later, you will need more than just routine maintenance. Asphalt overlaying, also known as asphalt resurfacing, can be an excellent solution when your pavement requires that little something extra. The answers to five questions can help you determine whether it is time to install an asphalt overlay in Chicago.
Has Your Pavement Already Received an Asphalt Overlay in Chicago?
One of the great things about asphalt overlays is that they can be installed on the same pavement as often as needed. However, if your asphalt paving contractor did not address any existing structural damage or drainage problems before placing an overlay, your overlay may have failed prematurely. Furthermore, the hidden issues may have worsened significantly, and this could affect the feasibility of overlaying your asphalt pavement. Check your records to determine when a Chicago asphalt overlay company resurfaced your pavement. Next, look for signs that damage patterns have telegraphed through to your existing asphalt overlay.
What Color Is Your Existing Asphalt Pavement?
New asphalt paving has a luxurious black color. This is true for a newly built pavement as well as for an asphalt overlay in Chicago. Over time, however, the sun’s UV rays will turn the color of asphalt to a faded, dingy gray or brown. Taken alone, color fading may not be a significant issue, but the problem is that UV rays also make asphalt paving brittle, dry, and more vulnerable to damage. Severe fading can be a warning sign that you should call a contractor with experience in asphalt overlaying in Chicago.
Would the Aesthetics of Your Pavement Benefit From an Asphalt Overlay in Chicago?
Faded color is not the only way that the condition of your pavement could have a negative impact on your curb appeal. Oil stains are unsightly, but they can also pose hazards to the health of your pavement as well as the people who use it. Years of numerous crack repairs or patches could also detract from the appearance of your pavement. Overlaying asphalt pavements purely to improve aesthetics can be a wise decision, especially if you cater to upscale customers, manage a pricey gated community, or want to attract the best tenants.
Does Your Pavement Drain Well?
When an asphalt overlay company constructs a new pavement correctly, water should easily flow away from the surface and into gutters or drains. If your pavement has areas that retain water longer than the rest of your pavement, that can be a warning sign that something is going on under the surface. Although it is not always the case, surface depressions are often the result of water that has worked its way deep into the structure and damaged the foundation. Unless the foundation damage is severe and widespread, a Chicago asphalt overlay company can probably solve the drainage issues.
Do You Need an Asphalt Overlay in Chicago to Correct Specific Damage Patterns?
There are several types of damage that can be repaired by overlaying an asphalt pavement. However, your asphalt paving contractor will need to evaluate your pavement to determine whether a more economical method exists as well as whether the damage is too severe for asphalt overlaying in Chicago.
1. Linear cracks, which parallel the direction of the asphalt’s laydown, and transverse cracks, which run perpendicular to the laydown, may be suitably repaired by overlaying the asphalt pavement. However, it may also be possible for your asphalt company to fill or seal relatively thin cracks.
2. Rutting and raveling are two conditions that might indicate the advisability of asphalt overlaying in Chicago. Edge cracking is another condition that an asphalt overlay might correct.
3. Block cracks, which should not be confused with alligator cracks, form a pattern of large rectangles. Although it might be possible to seal thin block cracks, thick ones usually require overlaying.
4. An asphalt company can often repair deep potholes with a procedure known as full-depth patching. However, if your pavement is riddled with numerous potholes over a wide area, asphalt overlaying in Chicago may be a more cost-effective solution.
If you would like to learn more about asphalt overlaying in Chicago, contact the experts at Black Hawk Paving. In addition to asphalt overlays, we offer asphalt paving, hot crack sealing, asphalt repairs, concrete flatwork and curbing, asphalt milling and grinding, car stops, asphalt sealcoating, site grading and excavations, parking lot striping, sewer repairs, traffic signage, asphalt fabric, and pavement markings. We have been serving commercial and industrial clients in the greater Chicago area since 1975. We have earned a reputation for extraordinary workmanship, professional service, and consistent reliability. We offer free quotes, so fill out the online form, email Info@BlackHawkPaving.com, or call us at 708-479-0400, 773-378-2390, or 847-240-2560.
