Does My Cracked Asphalt Need Repair or Replacement?

When it comes to your parking lot, asphalt repair and maintenance is extremely cost effective. It is a vital asset in protecting your paving investment. But, eventually your asphalt will reach the point where repairs are no longer effective and replacement is necessary. Identifying when this is true, however, isn’t always easy for property owners, and brings up a popular question; do I need cracked asphalt repair or do I need to remove and replace it completely?

cracked asphaltLets Look At Your Cracked Pavement

To answer this question, we need to consider a few things:

  1. The age of your asphalt
  2. The extent of the repairs needed
  3. Your overall goals for your pavement

It is important to understand that the asphalt’s base layer is usually the deciding factor. Next is accessing the pavement to determine if it needs to be repaired or replaced. But, damages to your base layer may be dependent on your answers to the first three questions posed.

The age of your driveway:

Typically, if properly installed and regularly maintained, your asphalt pavement should last 15-30 years. However, the actual lifespan of your asphalt is dependent on a number of factors including atmospheric conditions, traffic volume, upkeep, proper drainage etc. If your pavement has heavy traffic, is in an area with extremely bad winters, it may have a much shorter life expectancy. In most cases, repairing or sealcoating a driveway that is 20+ years old will only provide a temporary fix. It may be more cost effective at this point to replace your asphalt completely.

The extent of the cracked asphalt repairs needed:

cost of asphalt repairRegardless of your pavement’s age, if for some reason your pavement has been severally damaged, repair may not be the best option. The bigger the cracks, and the bigger a pavement defect, the more damage to your base surface. The condition of your pavement’s base layers plays a huge role in determining if your pavement will be a repair project or if it is time to repave.

In most cases, however, repairing damages through methods like patching, and crack filling work well. Resurfacing is also a great asphalt repair option for more extensive damages to the asphalt’s surface. This involves the removal of the top layer. Replacing that with a new layer occurs next. This is a more expensive means of repair and, at this point, you may want to weigh your options. Is it more cost effective to resurface your parking lot, or replace it?

If 25% or more of your pavement’s total surface area needs to be removed, it is more economical to completely redo the parking lot. The benefits of replacing your pavement in this situation is that you are essentially turning back the clock. The additional cost to have a newly constructed lot that will last another 20-30 years is a viable option. As opposed to investing in temporary repairs, and continuing the cycle.

Overall goals for your asphalt repair:

Are you looking to just get another year or two out of your pavement and invest in a repave in the near future, but not quite yet? Or are you hoping to restore your pavement so it is like new? Are you thinking of changing the material all together? The list goes on for this question, but it is important to sit down and analyze exactly what your goals are before ultimately making your decision. Your professional paving company can help to better determine the best course of action for your pavement depending on the condition of its base, it’s age, the extent of the damages, and your overall goals.

Ultimately, the best way to ensure that your pavement is lasting as long as it should is regular parking lot maintenance. This allows for you to repair any minor cracks or damages early before they turn into bigger problems and ultimately lead to base damage. The best way to determine whether your cracked asphalt needs replacement or if asphalt driveway repair is to have a professional inspect your cracked asphalt. We can help you choose the best, and most cost-effective course of action for your pavement. Contact EastCoat Pavement services for your free consultation today!

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