CRACK SEALING IS CRITICAL – WHY?
You may wonder, ‘How do I extend the life of my pavement?’ If you do, you are not alone! With the large investment required to repave your parking lot or road, it is very advantageous to get the most amount of time out of your pavement. There are a few things that you can do to prolong the life of your pavement such as Repair Potholes, Seal Coat, and Crack Seal. In this post, we will address Crack Sealing.
How does crack sealing prolong the life of a parking lot? Firstly, it protects the sub-grade. The sub-grade consists of compacted stone and aggregate which makes up the layer underneath pavement but above the soil. This is really the back-bone of your pavement.
Crack-sealing will quite literally fill and seal the cracks which will keep water from infiltrating the pavement. This serves a two-fold purpose – both inhibiting water from running under the parking lot and preventing water from settling within the cracks, freezing, and expanding.
However, just applying hot rubber sealant to the cracks is not enough. Why? Proper procedures must be followed in order to successfully “seal”’ the cracks and effectively prevent water from infiltrating.
These procedures include the following:
- Prepare the Cracks – Clean them with a minimum of 100 psi compressed air and remove all moisture with a hot air lance. Then, with a nylon brush or wire wheel, clean the pavement on either side of the crack to allow proper banding and adhesion.
- Use Proper Material – A flexible rubberized sealant that won’t crack due to cold temperatures in the winter and won’t melt in hot weather. The most recognized standard in the northeast is ASTM D6690.
- Use Proper Equipment – Temperature control is critical during application because if the product overheats, it removes the elasticity of the sealant thus ruining its effectiveness. To ensure that the proper temperature is maintained, we use a thermostatically controlled oil-jacketed melting pot. This expensive machine keeps the sealant at the right temperature throughout the application.
All things considered, crack-sealing is a crucial element of pavement maintenance, especially before snow and freezing temperatures. So, Trust Swan to use the proper methods, materials, and equipment.
