Running an asphalt business around Snohomish County means Valley Asphalt Solutions gets asked the same handful of questions week in and week out. Between our heavy winter rains, spring dampness, and the clay-heavy soils typical of neighborhoods up toward Rucker Hill or out by Silver Lake, local driveways take a beating. Asphalt Repair in Everett, WA is important because local weather cycles cause significant wear and tear over time.
Why is my driveway cracking only a few years after it was paved?
Most of the time, Asphalt Cracking in Everett is not a sign of bad asphalt. It is a sign of what is happening underneath. Our local weather cycles through endless wet spells, and if water gets trapped beneath the surface, it swells and shifts the sub-base. Once the foundation moves, the pavement above it has no choice but to split. Tree roots and poor initial compaction are other massive culprits Valley Asphalt Solutions sees across Everett.
Can I just sealcoat right over these cracks myself?
Sealcoating is strictly cosmetic and weatherproofing protection; it has zero structural strength. If you pour sealer over an open crack, you are basically just trapping moisture inside the pavement where it can freeze and do more damage come winter. You have got to clean out those cracks, fill them with a rubberized hot-pour crack filler, and let them cure before you even think about Sealcoating in Everett, WA.
When is the weather actually too cold or wet for repairs?
Hot mix asphalt needs heat to compact properly. If the ground is freezing or soaked from an Everett downpour, the material cools way too fast and will not bond. Generally, our team looks for dry stretches with ambient temperatures consistently staying above 50 degrees. Trying to patch a driveway in the middle of a freezing January storm with cheap hardware store cold-patch is just throwing money in the mud.
How do I know if I need a simple patch or a total replacement?
Look at the scope of the failure. If you have one or two localized potholes or a localized sink spot where a delivery truck parked, a saw-cut patch will usually fix it right up. But if your entire surface resembles a spiderweb of alligator cracks, and the edges are crumbling away into dirt, patching is just tossing band-aids on a sinking ship. At Valley Asphalt Solutions, we will always tell you honestly if you are better off saving your cash for a future Asphalt Overlay or Asphalt Replacement in Everett, WA.
How long should I actually stay off my freshly repaired driveway?
Foot traffic is usually fine after a few hours, but vehicles are a different story. Give hot mix patches at least 48 to 72 hours to fully cool and cure, especially when the Pacific Northwest humidity hangs around. If you park a heavy car on a fresh Asphalt Patching project too soon, you will leave deep tire ruts that ruin all the hard work.
How often do I need to maintain this stuff to keep from calling you back?
Keep up with proactive care. Get out there and clear your drainage paths so water does not pool along the edges, fill cracks every couple of years before they turn into craters, and look into Asphalt Maintenance every three to five years. For homes and businesses in Everett, Valley Asphalt Solutions is here for all your Asphalt Contractor needs.