The winter months can be especially hard on asphalt parking lots, roads and driveways. Nothing weakens and eventually destroy asphalt surfaces quite like the freeze-thaw cycle. Although freezing temperatures aren’t always a huge concern for the Seattle area, we do have enough rain and temperature swings to batter asphalt.
When potholes do form, it’s important to fix them fast so they don’t turn into bigger problems. The last thing you want is for someone to be injured or damage their vehicle on your property – and there are few things as jarring and annoying than hitting a pothole when you’re driving. Potholes that are left unaddressed can also spread and result in further damage.
The Best Method for Pothole Repair: Cold Patch or Hot Mix Asphalt?
Cold patch asphalt is already mixed, which allows these repairs to be performed quickly and simply. This is the most DIY friendly option and it doesn’t take long to apply, but it’s also the less effective and short term of the two methods. To perform cold patch asphalt repair, you just need to get already-mixed asphalt from a local hardware store, pour it into the hole and pack it as much as you can with a tamper.
Rest assured, a cold patched pothole will return because this solution doesn’t provide a tight enough seal to prevent future moisture penetration. The other factor that makes cold patch mix a short-term solution is its composition, which isn’t formulated to stand up to the rigors of frequent traffic.
Hot mix asphalt repair is the only long-term pothole fix that will prevent the pothole from resurfacing again.
The hot mix method entails first removing the asphalt around the pothole, essentially creating a bigger hole. This hole is then filled in and sealed using hot asphalt. This prevents water from being able to penetrate around the patch again, stopping the pothole from reforming, unlike the cold patch method.
If you have a pothole that needs to be addressed right away, cold patch may be an effective way for you to patch the hole yourself while you wait for a paving company to schedule a hot mix repair. You probably won’t want to rely solely on temporary cold patch bandages. Reapplying a cold patch time and again will eventually cost more than just having the pothole properly repaired with a hot mix asphalt solution.
Unfortunately, applying hot mix asphalt isn’t a DIY project. You’ll need to find a paving company with the equipment and knowhow to get the job done right the first time.
At Lakeridge Paving Company we’re proud to offer a comprehensive array of commercial, residential and industrial services, which includes patching potholes in parking lots, roads and driveways. We take a detail-oriented approach to hot mix pothole repair to ensure your potholes are eliminated for the long term. This entails:
- Properly diagnosing the extent of the damage and determining the entire area that needs to be removed and repaired
- Removing the damaged and compromised asphalt, preparing the base and then pouring the asphalt
- Compacting with a vibratory roller, which will provide superior compaction than you’ll be able to get with cold patch and a tamping tool
- Sealing the edges with liquid asphalt to ensure water won’t penetrate the area again
Get Advice on Your Situation From Lakeridge Paving Company
If you have questions about your pothole or wish to schedule a repair estimate, we encourage you to give us a call at 888-403-8290. We provide a comprehensive array of paving services throughout the greater Seattle metro area, including Tacoma, Bellevue and Covington. Our asphalt paving technicians can handle jobs of all scopes and sizes. Contact us today at 888-403-8290 to learn more.