Don’t Let Alligator Cracks Ruin Your Asphalt – Here’s How to Fix Them

Have you ever noticed large cracks in your asphalt pavement? If so, you’re probably dealing with alligator cracks, a common sight on many driveways and parking lots, making the environment look unsightly and even become dangerous if left unattended. But don’t let these menacing cracks ruin your pavement’s appearance. Instead, you can take steps to prevent them from occurring and repair them if they’ve already started.

In this blog post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about alligator cracks: what causes cracked asphalt, how to prevent their occurrence, and the best ways how to fix alligator cracks in asphalt. So keep reading for more information about keeping your asphalt looking its best.

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Identify the Cause of Alligator Cracks

Alligator cracks are a type of asphalt pavement failure that can occur for a variety of reasons, and here are some of them:

  1. Moisture in the pavement: Excess moisture can cause cracks to form due to the weakening of the pavement material.
  2. Poor draining or runoff conditions: If water cannot flow away from the pavement, it can seep into the surface and cause alligator cracks.
  3. Temperature changes: Extremely hot and cold temperatures can cause expansion and contraction of the asphalt, leading to cracking.
  4. Heavy loads: Vehicles with heavy loads can cause sinkage in the pavement, creating an uneven surface that causes alligator cracks.
  5. Poor construction: Incorrect installation methods or poor choice of materials can lead to premature deterioration and alligator cracking of asphalt pavements.

If you notice alligator cracks in your asphalt, it’s crucial to inspect the area to determine the underlying cause so that you can take steps to fix the problem.

Preparation

If you’re dealing with alligator cracks on your asphalt, you want to ensure it gets handled properly. Before proceeding with repairs, thoroughly clean the debris and loose materials area. Cleaning will help ensure that your repair lasts long into the future. Then you’re ready to start filling in any large potholes or depressions before you apply the material needed to restore your asphalt surfaces to their original condition. Taking these extra steps can ensure that your asphalt is left looking firm, flat, and safe when installation is complete.

Repair Methods

Alligator cracks are particularly stubborn among asphalt repairs, so don’t let them take control of your property – here’s how to fight back! The two main methods of repairing alligator cracks are patching and filling. Let’s discuss their differences.

  • Patching – This method involves cutting out the area affected by alligator cracks and replacing it with new asphalt that blends nicely with your surface, restoring its smoothness and appearance. 
  • Filling – This involves applying a sealant or hot rubberized crack filler to the damaged area. This method prevents weeds and water from seeping below the surface and causing further damage. 

Don’t let alligator cracks get you down. Instead, check out these repair methods and see how to restore your pavement to its original form.

Application Process

Patching

  1. Clean the damaged area to remove any dirt, debris, or oil.
  2. Cut out any loose pieces of asphalt and discard them.
  3. Use a hand tamper to compact the hole’s edges in the pavement.
  4. Spread asphalt patch material into the hole until it is filled and leveled with the surrounding pavement surface.
  5. Compact the patch using a hand tamper or a commercial roller compactor for more extensive repairs.
  6. Finish off by applying an asphalt coating over the patch to protect it from wear and tear due to weather and traffic conditions.

Filling

  1. Gather materials, including asphalt sealant, a trowel or putty knife, and plywood (for larger areas).
  2. Clean away all dirt, debris, and oil from the affected area before applying sealant with a trowel or putty knife in thin, even layers that overlap each other slightly along the edges so that there are no gaps between applications of the material.
  3. Use plywood to press hard into the area when covering large sections for a smooth finish with minimal air bubbles or holes for water infiltration that could cause further damage later on down the road if left unattended now.
  4. Allow time for sealant application to dry based on product instructions before driving over the patched area again and enjoying the newly repaired road surface!

Tips for achieving a smooth and even finish:

• Take your time when cleaning, measuring/cutting out pieces of asphalt/sealant, pressing sealants onto porous surfaces (which may require multiple layers) as well as smoothing these same applications for optimal results—rushing through any part of this process is likely to leave you with an uneven finish at best!

• When applying sealants pay special attention to making sure they don’t become too thin – otherwise, they won’t stick properly when drying, which can create weaknesses in your repair job!

• After finishing up but before allowing time for dryness, make sure all surfaces are free from dirt/debris that may have been transferred while working (to avoid contaminating the final result).

Meanwhile, following the manufacturer’s instructions is essential to repair alligator cracks properly. Different types of asphalt repairs using fillers and patching require different approaches and techniques. Failure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines can lead to several problems, including an uneven finish, an improper seal between the repair area and surrounding pavement, water infiltration and potentially further damage, or even more expensive repairs.

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Prevention

Fortunately, there are preventative measures you can take to reduce your risk of alligator cracking in the future.

Regular maintenance inspections and repairs will go a long way in preserving your asphalt pavement. Be sure to look for loose or sunken patches that may indicate underlying issues with your asphalt and address them as soon as possible. Additionally, ensuring proper drainage around the asphalt is key to preventing alligator fractures from forming. Ensure that gutters, downspouts, and other drainage outlets are clear so that any standing water can flow away quickly and not pool around the edges of your pavement.

By following these simple steps, you can significantly reduce your risk of developing costly alligator cracks in the future and preserve your investment for years to come!

Conclusion

Alligator cracks, fatigue, or crocodile cracking are unsightly and potentially costly issues that plague asphalt surfaces. If left unaddressed, alligator cracks can quickly expand and become even more challenging to repair. It’s, therefore, important to immediately attend to any signs of alligator cracking to prevent further damage from occurring.

Are you looking for an expert to help you with your paving needs? Look no further than LeeBoy! Our top-notch asphalt and maintenance equipment is designed to meet all of our customers’ needs. Reach out to your local dealer today to find out more about our services.

Asphalt Paver Maintenance Tips: Maximize Your Equipment Performance

As asphalt paving is an important task for ensuring roads and pathways are safe, reliable, and long-lasting, asphalt pavers tend to be quite expensive investments. Despite the higher initial cost of asphalt pavers, regular maintenance is necessary to ensure longevity and proper performance, which in turn can guarantee the success of your asphalt paving job. Although pavement equipment is made to endure harsh conditions outdoors, properly caring for asphalt paving equipment will ultimately save you time, money, and effort in the long run.

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Why Is It Important to Have a Routine Maintenance For Asphalt Paver

Routine maintenance is an essential part of ensuring an asphalt paver is operating in optimal condition. Routine maintenance checks can identify and correct minor issues before they become more serious, leading to costly repairs down the line. Routine maintenance can also help with increasing an asphalt paver’s lifespan by properly lubricating its moving parts, replacing worn-out components, and reducing wear and tear on its highly calibrated tools.

6 Tips To Maintain Your Asphalt Paver

Keeping an asphalt paver running optimally is essential for efficiency and safety on any job site. With a little work each day, an asphalt paver can operate at its peak performance every time. Here are a few ways you can maintain your asphalt paver to ensure it keeps operating in good condition:

Inspect Your Asphalt Paver With Daily Maintenance Checks

When using an asphalt paver, it is important to perform daily maintenance checks every morning before beginning operation. Inspecting the machine can help you spot small problems that lead to bigger issues over time. These checks should include looking for damage, worn-out parts, loose fasteners, oil leaks, and other missing components. 

Taking care of these needed repairs or replacements can save money when these preventable issues cause bigger problems down the line. Doing your daily maintenance checks isn’t just about keeping your asphalt paver running smoothly; it also ensures consistent pavement quality and a safer job site for all workers on the project.

Clean Your Paver Every Day

Making sure to clean your asphalt paver at the end of each day is essential for a variety of reasons. Not only will it reduce wear and tear on vital parts, but it can also result in higher-quality asphalt paving jobs. If you leave cold asphalt chunks on the paver, they could end up getting mixed in with new asphalt and cause inconsistencies or even break the machine. Cleaning your equipment may seem bothersome after a long day of working hard, but it’s an important step that will ensure your paver remains effective and efficient for many years to come.

Perform Off-Season Maintenance

Routine maintenance during the off-season of a paver is essential for keeping it running efficiently throughout the entire paving season. It allows you to ensure your machine is operating as expected and prevent any costly emergency repairs. You can give it a deep clean, flush out hydraulic systems and inspect all moving parts. Doing so will allow you to remain ahead of any potential problems that could come up when you’re out on the job.

Mind The Screed 

When asphalt pavers are inactive during the off-season, it’s especially important to pay attention to their maintenance. The screed should be taken care of first and foremost; checking its alignment and ensuring that there are no cracks or imperfections. Measuring plate thickness, conducting an ultrasound test to check for debris, and taking a look at the slide track and heating elements should all take place during asphalt paver maintenance. 

Removing the screed cover and eliminating any pre-existing debris is also necessary to ensure top performance. Mind your screed year-round for a great asphalt paver performance.

Preventative Care Will Keep Your Paver Running

Routine preventative care for your asphalt paver is the key to continued reliable and efficient operation. Scheduling regular service intervals that may involve replacing suspect parts, and regularly changing engine oil and filters, fuel filters, separators, and hydraulic filters will all help keep your asphalt paver running smoothly. Additionally, it’s important to keep up with lubricating moving parts, which should become a habit if you are serious about preventative maintenance. 

Training is Key

Asphalt paving operations can be highly complex, especially when considering asphalt paver maintenance. When a person isn’t adequately trained in asphalt paver operation and maintenance, the risks can be great. Without proper training, operators may not know how to correctly execute asphalt paving tasks which can lead to serious issues such as component failure or structural damage. To prevent these types of issues, asphalt paver crews need to have proper training before attempting any asphalt paving project. 

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The Best Equipment Providers for Professional Asphalt Maintenance Solutions

When it comes to asphalt paver maintenance, LeeBoy is the go-to brand in North Carolina. We provide hassle-free asphalt repair and maintenance services anywhere you need them. From our years of experience in the asphalt industry, we know exactly how to get asphalt pavers up and running quickly and efficiently with minimal downtime. 
With LeeBoy, you can also find the best asphalt pavers retailers and local dealers in the market for any type of paving job that might arise. No matter what asphalt job you’re doing in NC, look to LeeBoy first for your asphalt maintenance, equipment, and repair needs.