The cool temperatures are brutal on your asphalt pavement, especially if you have birdbaths that allow water to sit. You have two options to fix them: cold patch or hot patch. In this blog post by Paradise Asphalt Maintenance, let’s find out which option is appropriate for winter asphalt repair.
What Are Bird Baths (asphalt depression)?
When you drive over cracks, they will be pushed up and form a “bubble” softer than the surrounding asphalt. With the colder temperatures in winter, water accumulates into those low spots and freezes during the night. As vehicles drive over these soft bubbles, they push the bubbles down more and more, each time causing a depression in the pavement or road!
When To Repair Asphalt Depression?
First, you need to determine the severity of the issue. If there are only a few spots in which water collects in the early morning, it may not be worth patching them up. However, if they are in high traffic areas or right before an intersection, it’s recommended that you fix them! You can get material for patches at any store or home improvement center for very cheap.
How to Repair It with a Cold Patch?
- Simply break out your shovel and get out some sand, gravel, and asphalt cold patch material! Shovel the required amount of sand needed into a wheelbarrow and add more gravel on top until you have enough to cover the depression.
- Then pour more than half of the cold patch material on top and smooth it out with a broom. Make sure it is even to get a nice flat finish!
- Use your shovel again to pack everything down by pushing firmly – this will help keep water from pooling in the depression and causing further damage.
- Finally, spray some water on the patch to get it wet.
- Another option you have is using an asphalt sealer with rocks. Before mixing your asphalt sealant with rocks, read over the instructions carefully to know how much water is needed for different batches of rock sizes. Then package up all your materials in buckets according to their corresponding batch size. We recommend asking for professional help!
Cold Patch Vs. Hot Patch: Which Is Better?
Cold patches are less expensive to install, but they have a short life span.
Hot patches last much longer, but using them is more costly for cities.
It comes down to how long they’ll have to stay there in most cases. If a stretch of roadway is expected to be used extensively (like a highway), hot patches will probably suit it best because they last considerably longer than cold patches.
On the other hand, if it’s temporary or isn’t used as often, cold patches would work better as they’re cheaper and easier to implement. Paradise Asphalt Maintenance can take care of all your asphalt maintenance and repair needs in Lees Summit, MO! Get a free estimate.
