What You Need to Know About Preventing Rain Damage To Asphalt

There’s a saying, “Rain, rain, go away, come back another day,” but unfortunately, it doesn't banish sudden storms that are all too common in the Northeast. Summer and fall showers can even bring hail, which is particularly problematic to residential and commercial surfaces.

At Smith’s, our asphalt paving is done with top-of-the-line products, expertly applied to withstand the elements.

Nonetheless, asphalt is not impermeable to water damage! When rain falls during summer and fall, it sinks into and even below the asphalt. As the cold winter arrives, that moisture will freeze when temperatures drop. Freezing water expands, causing cracking on the surface and lower depths. At some point, the water defrosts and shrinks, putting structural strain on the pavement. Pavement may buckle and make small fissures or even larger cracks.

That’s why we use a high-grade asphalt sealer in your commercial parking lot or home driveway to help prevent damage caused by rain. A new, unsealed parking lot will be fine for a few years, but neglecting to apply asphalt sealer to the surface allows water to sneak beneath the porous surface. When deep cracks form, your only choice at that point could be having the asphalt replaced.

You can count on us at Smith’s Paving to apply the right sealant at the optimal time to protect your asphalt from troublesome rain damage. Call us today to find out more.