Asphalt is often installed when the owner of a property wants to have a low maintenance paving option, such as for parking lot paving. So, it's concerning when asphalt deteriorates well before it's supposed to. Read on to find out about some potential causes of asphalt repair needs.

Issues with Compaction

Asphalt must be compacted in a specific way to be durable. When it is compacted too much, there is not enough space in the material for the inevitable freezing and thawing that occurs as the temperature changes. Thus, you might find a lot of cracks in the material. But when the material is not compacted enough, it leaves the surface brittle. Either way, these issues go back to your initial asphalt installation. The best way to fix them is often to pour new asphalt.

Issues with Asphalt Drainage

Proper asphalt drainage is important, because being consistently wet is one reason for asphalt to deteriorate more quickly. A paving contractor might be able to do a simple fix by adding some drainage channels in the paving surface to fix this problem.

Problems with the Surface Preservation

Oxidation on the surface of asphalt material is inevitable. When it occurs, the surface can dry out and become cracked. One way to potentially fix this is to apply a quality sealant coat. The asphalt repair team will bridge the gaps and correct any existing cracks and then apply a sealant to protect the material better in the future.

Improper Usage

Asphalt is a material that is designed to hold up to heavy use. Thus it's hard to improperly treat asphalt. However, there is one particular thing that can cause damage: chemical spills. Even oil spills will cause issues for your asphalt, but if you have had another chemical spilled on the material, it needs to be cleaned up very quickly.

Another thing to think about, while optional, is to clear off snow on the driveway as soon as it falls. There's no need to put your asphalt surface through additional stress by letting snow sit on it.

What to Look For in Your Next Repair

When you hire a driveway or parking lot paving contractor to repair your asphalt, make sure that they do some checks to rule out all of these problems. If you have a problem with cracking, the asphalt repair contractor should still check for issues with drainage, and so on. You want to get a comprehensive repair so that you don't need another maintenance call for years to come.

Contact a company like Branche Industries for more information.