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Tips on Preventing the Formation of Potholes on Asphalt Driveways

Asphalt paving is a popular choice for many of today's homeowners, especially when it comes to construction of driveways. But even a well-built asphalt driveway is bound to develop problems that will require immediate repair attention at some point.

One of the most dreaded and costly repair issues associated with asphalt driveways is the presence of potholes. The secret to preventing this problem lies in the ability of the property owner to take good care of their asphalt driveway. Follow these maintenance tips to help you prevent the problem of pothole formation on the surface of your residential asphalt driveway:

Fixing cracks early on

Potholes do not just emerge straight out of nowhere. Before they can form, you will notice an infiltration of small cracks on the surface of your asphalt driveway. As the surface of asphalt continues to be subjected to vehicular traffic, it suffers structural distresses that cause it to crack. If these cracks are not repaired early enough, they can quickly become potholes, further exacerbating the problem. Making sure that you regularly inspect your asphalt driveway for cracking and seeing to it that any cracks are immediately filled and sealed can go a long way in preventing the formation of potholes.

Using preservation treatments

Aside from ensuring that all cracks present on your asphalt driveway are properly repaired, you need to apply preservation treatment on the entire paving to keep in in good shape. Two of the most commonly used preservation treatments for asphalt driveways are sealcoat and slurry seal. Both options are meant to prolong the lifespan of your driveway and are very effective at preventing the creation of potholes.

The only significant difference between the two treatments is that a slurry seal is suitable for driveways that experience heavy vehicular traffic at high speeds while a sealcoat is best for driveways with low vehicular traffic at slow speeds.

Ensuring unobstructed water runoff

Your asphalt driveway is designed with a stormwater drainage pit so that runoff stormwater can easily leave the surface of your driveway when it rains. By ensuring that the drainage pit is clear off any debris that may cause clogging when it starts raining, you will be able to prevent water from ponding on the surface of your driveway.

This way, there will be sufficient clearance to prevent stormwater from finding their way below the surface of your driveway through cracks to create voids that will eventually lead to formation of potholes.