Dairyland Peach Sections Business Profile 2019 | Page 24

Dairyland Peach Business Profile 2019, Page 24
Midwest Asphalt Maintenance: Improving
the longevity of pavement for many years
Asphalt maintenance is vitally important to keep
pavement in good condition and stop cracks and pot-
holes from becoming larger.
Chad Torgerson of Midwest Asphalt Maintenance
LLC, has worked in the asphalt industry for 30 years,
starting with employment as a teenager at former
L&M Services of Belgrade. After leaving for the 4
years he enlisted in the Navy, he continued to work
for L&M, which later became Glieden Enterprises,
until he bought the business 5 years ago. He built
and designed the two buildings he uses as his shop in
Belgrade. Chad also owns Midwest Barn Disinfecting
LLC, which is licensed for hog, chicken and turkey
confinements in a 5-state region.
Midwest Asphalt Maintenance covers a 150-
mile radius around Belgrade, including residential,
churches, schools, city, county and township jobs.
They employ 14 seasonal workers from mid-May
to late October. His crew includes Mike Grundseth,
sales manager; Kelly Grundseth, crew foreman for air
injection patching; and Matt Grundseth, crew fore-
man for crack sealing. Tia Grundseth works part-
time in the office.
As Chad describes the types of asphalt mainte-
nance work his crew does, it is clear he takes great
pride in providing quality work, and no corners are
cut. These services include crack sealing, seal coating,
air injection patching and striping.
Crack sealing is a process where the asphalt is rout-
ed or cut out, and then sealed. This gives adequate
space to fill and seal, allowing the rubber to expand
and contract. The crack seal material contains a
cubed rubber that is melted to 380 degrees when ap-
plied to cracks, which cools quickly.
Pot holes or damaged asphalt can be repaired
through a process of air injection patching. The appli-
cator, manufactured by Crafco, uses 1/4-inch granite
chips and CSR-II oil, which is blown into the pot hole
to create a patch over the damaged area. This process
can be done on residential driveways, commercial lots
or roads where chunks of asphalt are missing or in
sunken areas. Chad said the patch is like magic — it
holds so well, even when built as a speed bump, snow
plows don’t bust it loose. Chad has never gotten a call
back that an air injection patch did not hold.
Seal coat is a black wear coat on asphalt that gives
protection from sun, water, normal wear, etc. In Min-
nesota, winter is the harshest element on driveways.
The seal coats are applied by brush or spray, depend-
ing upon the size of the area. Two important qualities
of seal coating are 1. Maximize lifespan; and 2. Maxi-
mum adhesion.
To achieve this, Midwest Asphalt first gives a high
pressure wash on all asphalt surfaces. The purpose of
the wash is for seal coats to adhere to the pavement,
which works better with a clean surface. Second, 2
seal coats are applied on every job. After the initial
layer, the crew can apply a second layer in a couple
hours.
Many who apply seal coats do not follow this pro-
cess, instead applying one seal coat only, Chad said.
They use SealMaster, which is one of the oldest com-
panies and provides a high grade seal coat. At their
website (https://sealmaster.net), it states, “apply at
least two coats of quality SealMaster pavement seal-
er.”
Midwest Asphalt Maintenance recently purchased
a new spray rig to cover more square footage in a day,
and is used for larger seal coat jobs.
“A well-maintained driveway will more than double
the life expectancy of the driveway,” Chad said. “With
proper maintenance, it will look as good in 20 years as
when it was initially put in.”
Midwest Asphalt Maintenance LLC warranties all
work under normal wear up to 3 years.
Chad has some words of advice for home and busi-
ness owners who have pavement surfaces. “Don’t de-
lay” on cracks and deterioration, as small cracks and
holes worsen quickly. He recommends a quality seal
coat every 3-5 years. Also, do research. Some compa-
nies only lay one seal coat down. Many blow off the
asphalt rather than a pressure wash. “You make the
Midwest Asphalt Maintenance LLC is located in
Belgrade. Pictured are (from left): Chad Torgerson,
owner, and Mike Grundseth, sales manager of Mid-
west Asphalt Maintenance LLC.
decision,” he said. “Everything we do is done the right
way.”
If you are in need of new pavement, Chad can give
referrals for local companies. Midwest Asphalt Main-
tenance does maintenance work only. Free estimates
and recommendations are available. For more infor-
mation, visit http://midwestasphaltmaintenance.com
or they can be reached at [phone].
Midwest AsphAlt
Maintenance LLc
Belgrade, MN
320-254-3484
The spray trailer used for large seal coat jobs.
This pictures show a routed
crack, and the finished seal.
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