If you have ever spent a winter in Chicago, there is no need to tell you how brutal the weather can be. Snow, ice, single-digit temperatures, and biting winds can make it miserable to be outside. You have ways to compensate, though. You can bundle up in warm clothing, or you can opt to stay indoors as much as possible. However, neither of the options are available to your asphalt parking lot. Your pavement is fully exposed to whatever weather nature sends its way. Cracks can form in your pavement, and when they do, they need to be repaired as quickly as possible with hot crack sealing.
Why Is Prompt Crack Repair Important for an Asphalt Parking Lot?
You might say that cracks are the tip of an iceberg that can sink your asphalt pavement. Once cracks appear, they do not heal themselves over time. In fact, the opposite is true. Until you ask a professional to provide asphalt crack repair services, the cracks will expand in depth, length, and width. As they grow, they generate more cracks, and potholes are typically the next type of damage to appear. An economical asphalt crack repair in Chicago is an excellent illustration of the truth behind the old saying about the value of a stitch in time.
How Do Chicago Contractors Repair Cracks in an Asphalt Parking Lot?
Nationwide, asphalt maintenance companies use two basic methods to repair cracks.
1. Crack Sealing: Crack sealing in Chicago involves the placement of a rubberized material over the top of a crack. Typically, the crack sealant extends onto the surrounding pavement, and it may also be inserted into the crack.
2. Crack Filling: Crack filling involves the insertion of a non-rubberized material into the crack. It may also extend slightly onto the adjacent pavement.
Which Method of Asphalt Crack Repair in Chicago Is Right for an Asphalt Parking Lot?
The preferred method is crack sealing in Chicago. There are several advantages to choosing Chicago hot crack sealing over crack filling.
1. The material used for hot crack sealing in Chicago is rubberized. This means that it remains flexible, so it can move with the pavement whenever the pavement reacts to changes in the temperature. The crack sealant is unlikely to break its bond with the pavement during thermal expansions and contractions. Chicago hot crack sealing is considered a permanent repair.
2. The material used for crack filling is not flexible. As it cures, it becomes hard and rigid. The bond between the filler and the pavement can be broken when the pavement expands or contracts, leaving a gap through which water can enter. In some cases, all the filler material can be forced from the crack. At best, crack filling should be viewed as a semi-permanent repair for asphalt parking lots in Chicago. It is extremely likely that the crack will need to be repaired again and again.
At Black Hawk Paving, our years of experience have convinced us that hot crack sealing is the best asphalt crack repair method for parking lots. In addition to offering hot crack sealing in Chicago, we offer asphalt repairs, asphalt milling and grinding, asphalt paving, and asphalt sealcoating. We also offer site grading and excavation, sewer repairs, parking lot striping, and pavement markings. Our other services include the installation of traffic signs, concrete curbing and flatwork, asphalt fabric, and car stops. We have earned a reputation among both our local and national clients as a dependable, professional company that consistently delivers exceptional work at competitive rates. It is easy to request a free job quote; just call 708-479-0400, submit our online form, or email Info@BlackHawkPaving.com.
