Homeowners in the South Richland hills frequently walk out to their driveway and notice a chunk of Asphalt has completely crumbled away near the garage apron. Potholes and surface failures happen faster than most people think around Richland, especially after freezing winter nights and scorching summer heat waves bake the local soil. When looking at a hole or a cracked section of Asphalt, homeowners often wonder if they can handle Asphalt Paving and repair work this weekend. Richland Asphalt Solutions wants to break down what property owners can actually do themselves and when they are better off handing the work over to our crew at Richland Asphalt Solutions.
Before You Start: Assessing the Damage
Not all Driveway Paving damage is created equal. Take a close look at the problem area before buying a single bag of cold patch from the local hardware store.
- Surface cracks and shallow depressions under two inches deep are prime candidates for a DIY fix.
- If the sub-base is washing out or the Asphalt is alligatoring across a huge section, a surface patch will not hold up.
- Grab a screwdriver and poke around the edges; if the Asphalt is spongy, you have a deeper structural failure on your hands.
During the Patching Process
When tackling a minor pothole, timing and prep work make all the difference. Do not just dump cold patch into a dirty hole and stomp on it with your boots. First, clean out every speck of loose gravel, dirt, and old debris using a stiff broom and a shop vacuum. Bare, solid edges are required for the new Asphalt material to bite into. Toss in the cold patch material in two-inch lifts, raking it flat as the work progresses. The biggest mistake homeowners make is not packing the Asphalt down hard enough. A heavy hand tamper must be used or a car's rear tire driven back and forth over the Asphalt patch multiple times to compress the material fully. Otherwise, the first time a steering wheel turns hard over that spot, the patch pops right back out.
When to Call a Professional
There comes a point where DIY patching turns into a waste of weekends and money. If extensive rutting is present, severe drainage issues pool water near the foundation, or failures cover more than twenty percent of a parking pad, heavy equipment is required. Richland Asphalt Solutions uses hot-mix Asphalt, commercial-grade tack coat, and industrial compaction rollers that achieve a bond cold patch simply cannot match. Save the weekend for floating down the Yakima River and let Richland Asphalt Solutions dig out the compromised sub-base and lay down a permanent Asphalt fix that will not turn back into gravel by next winter.
After the Patch is Down
Once the Asphalt patch is in place, give the material some breathing room. Cold patch takes weeks to fully cure and harden as the solvents evaporate, so try to avoid sharp steering turns on the new Asphalt while the weather is still hot. Keep an eye on the edges where the old Asphalt meets the new patch. If water is seen creeping into tiny gaps around the perimeter next spring, hit those seams with a rubberized crack filler right away to protect the hard work. For homes and businesses in Richland, Richland Asphalt Solutions provides Asphalt services.