Asphalt's Three Biggest Enemies

When professionally installed, a new asphalt driveway can last upwards of 20 years, but not without a little bit of maintenance. Although asphalt is an incredibly strong and durable material, it too has its kryptonite – in fact, it has three of them.

Read below to find out the three biggest enemies of asphalt, as well as what you can do to prevent your driveway from meeting its early demise.

Water
When left standing, water can penetrate the surface of your asphalt driveway and begin to weaken its base. This is made worse in cold weather, where the water can freeze and expand, causing cracks and potholes to develop. Prevent water from damaging your driveway by using porous asphalt or by installing an effective drainage solution, such as trench drains.

Oil and Gasoline
Not only are oil and gasoline stains unsightly, they can quickly deteriorate your driveway's surface. The binding agent in asphalt pavement is derived from crude oil, and almost any petroleum distillate can cause this agent to break down, weakening the pavement and causing it to become soft. The best way to prevent this from happening is by sealcoating the surface as soon as the pavement is cured and cleaning up all oil and gas spills immediately. Click here to learn how to remove oil stains from your driveway.

Sunlight
Just like exposure to the sun can damage our skin, it is also harmful to your driveway. On a molecular level, UV rays speed up asphalt's reaction with oxygen, which causes faster discoloration and fading of your driveway's surface. The best defense against this is by routinely sealcoating your driveway, which is a staple in any good asphalt maintenance plan. You can learn about the benefits of sealcoating here.

The asphalt experts at Roccie's Paving have been repairing, resurfacing, and repaving residential driveways and commercial parking lots in Connecticut and New York for well over 50 years. Family owned and operated since our creation, we are committed to providing our customers with high quality services at an affordable rate. Visit our website for more information or call us for a free estimate at 1-888-88-ROCCIES.