Cracking is inevitable in asphalt surfaces, especially in areas with extreme weather like Calgary. Heat can cause asphalt to shrink and dry out, which leads to cracking. In the winter, moisture absorbed by the asphalt expands as it turns to ice, leading to further cracks and damage.
Crack sealing can stop cracks from developing into potholes. In fact, 75% of unsealed cracks develop into potholes, while only 1% of sealed cracks do. It’s a cost-effective process that will improve the lifespan and safety of your asphalt pavement.
In this article, we’re going to explore how to seal cracks, when you should see cracks, and some special considerations when sealing asphalt cracks here in Calgary. That’s a lot to cover, so let’s dive right in!
How Asphalt Crack Sealing Works
To understand how crack sealing works, let’s start by exploring the main three steps involved in sealing cracks:
- Preparing the surface
- Choosing and preparing the crack sealant
- Applying the sealant
First, the surface must be prepared—cracks are cleaned of debris using hot, compressed air so they can be filled with sealant. In some cases, cracks are actually widened to create a reservoir for the sealant—this process is called routing. Not all cracks can be routed, however, as this can end up compromising the integrity of your pavement. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important to hire professionals to seal any cracks.
Next, the proper crack sealant must be chosen and prepared. There are several different factors at play here, including:
- The average traffic on the surface being repaired
- The type of traffic on that surface
- The average temperature in the area
For parking lots in Calgary, a flexible asphalt sealant is often chosen; the flexibility is perfect for the expansion and contraction that comes with temperature fluctuations.
The sealant is then carefully poured in (after having been warmed), filling from bottom to top; technicians must be careful to not allow any voids. The sealant provides a protective barrier that stops precipitation and debris from entering into the crack. It expands and contracts with the pavement.
Now that you know how to crack seal, let’s take a look at when you should seal cracks:
When You Should Perform Asphalt Crack Sealing
When you’ve got a crack that’s wider than 3 mm (1/8th of an inch), it’s a good idea to crack seal before it becomes a pothole.
Cracks should usually be filled on a clear spring day; crack sealing can be next to impossible in the winter, and in the summer, the pavement can be too hot, and cracks may be partially closed.
You can seal transverse cracks and longitudinal cracks; alligator cracking, on the other hand, shouldn’t be treated with crack sealant. We have an article on crack sealing vs. crack filling; in it, we explain the different types of cracks and how they should be sealed.
Be sure to repair asphalt cracks in a timely manner, before winter comes along. When moisture gets into the pavement and freezes, you’ll almost certainly end up with a bigger crack, if not a pothole. And as everyone in Calgary knows, potholes are quite a nuisance.
Considerations To Make When Sealing Asphalt Cracks
There are a number of different factors to consider when sealing cracks, including:
- Which of the existing cracks to treat first (larger cracks should be sealed before smaller cracks)
- Whether the crack should be routed
- The best type of sealant for the crack
- Whether the pavement needs to be heated before the sealant can be applied
- How to direct traffic away from the crack while it seals
That’s just a small selection of the things that we consider when sealing cracks!
Conclusion
Crack sealing is complex—but we handle all the thinking and the manual labour for you. When you’ve got a crack in your parking lot, and you need crack sealing, all you have to remember is our name: Infinity Asphalt. We’re proud to offer asphalt crack sealing in Calgary; we’ll seal those cracks and keep your pavement protected!