FEATURE
CRACK SEALING
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
A step-by-step guide
C racks are generally not seen as good . Novelists have a way of describing cracks as personal flaws or , at best , a means to allow the positive in -- “ the cracks in your heart are there so the light can shine through ,” so writes fiction author Elizabeth Noble . Or as the science fiction novelist Isobelle Carmody writes , “ You have to be careful of the cracks . Sometimes they are disguised as something else . A doorway , or a smile or even a winking eye . And if you fall through them , you never know where you will end up .”
But pavement cracks are not fictional . They ’ re not portals to greater insight or doorways to the netherworld . Pavement owners and asphalt contractors might agree that if left untreated cracks can be doorways to a heck of a lot of troubles .
Moisture is the biggest cause of pavement cracking . Once water seeps into pavement , it causes it to break down . Moisture causes the sand and gravel base to wash away , causing breaks and cracks in the asphalt .
“ Permeability of the asphalt is the biggest cause of cracks in asphalt pavement ,” stated Ben Thielbar , director of sales , Cimline , Inc ., Plymouth , Minnesota . “ An example of seeing this is the deterioration of the centerline in pavements . Additionally ,
By Jeff Winke
poor base quality that allows movement under the road , thermal temperature changes , and the pavement surface age , can all cause cracks .”
Maintenance is the fix . Immediate or sooner maintenance ( if it were possible ) would be ideal as cracks emerge .
“ Crack sealing is the lowest-cost-with-highest-benefit pavement preservation treatment , stated Chris M . Vacca , senior marketing manager with Crafco , Inc ., Chandler , Arizona . “ But just because it ’ s economical doesn ’ t mean it can be left to chance .”
Vacca offers these tips from Crafco to maximize the sealcoating efforts :
1 . Determine your target ( s ) and objectives . As effective as crack sealing is , it isn ’ t suitable for every type of pavement distress . Survey your target area ( s ) in advance . Assess types of cracking , widths of cracks ( crack seal works best in cracks 1.5˝ width or less ), and topography issues , as well as vehicle loads / traffic . Decide areas where you ’ ll apply crack sealant and what you ’ ll need to get it done . Is there vegetation to remove with a hot air lance ? Are safety cones / signage required to protect workers from traffic ? What types of tooling is appropriate ? How www . callape . com [ 14 ] 1.800.210.5923