Potholes can be frustrating to deal with and can become worse when not repaired in a timely manner, but should you repair potholes yourself? Fixing potholes or cracks in asphalt can be a tricky process. Depending on where the pothole is located, different techniques may need to be used to fix them. Whether you have asphalt around your home or for your driveway, here is what you should know before you try to repair potholes yourself. 

Repairs On Your Driveway

Many homeowners use asphalt for their driveways because of its durability and aesthetic appeal. Similar to roadways, asphalt driveways can experience potholes. Homeowners can repair potholes on their own, but following the correct steps will make sure the potholes are properly filled and the driveway remains durable. 

You should start by digging out excess rock, dirt, and other debris that has been collected in the pothole before filling it. Using the right paver and asphalt mix is also crucial. This will help the new asphalt to match the rest of the driveway and lower the risk of a hole developing again. 

Use a thick layer of asphalt (around 1.5 inches) and smooth out all the edges and remove bubbles. Compact multiple layers until the hole is filled completely and the edges are not noticeable. Let the new asphalt sit and cure for at least 3 to 4 weeks before driving on it. 

Pothole Repairs On City Roads

Driving over potholes in the road can be dangerous and annoying, but that doesn’t necessarily mean residents have a right to fix them on their own. In multiple states and cities, filling a pothole on a local road is illegal and should be handled by an asphalt professional. 

Most places require anyone who fixes a pothole to have a permit. Even if an asphalt paving company is hired, permits and proper training are required to fill the pothole in the most durable way. Most asphalt companies also have access to quality asphalt brands and cold-patch materials to make sure the repairs last for years. 

Professional pothole repair will also be completed faster than if you repair potholes yourself. With the right tools and asphalt mixes, the pros will be able to repair multiple cracks, holes, and deterioration in no time. 

Dangers Of Repairing Potholes Yourself

Repairing potholes yourself can lead to health risks or put you in danger. Repairing potholes on a busy road puts you right in the line of traffic and could lead to severe injury or death. Asphalt companies will have cones, lights, and roping that will direct traffic away from the work zone. 

Filling in potholes also requires precision. Having a bump from where you used too much asphalt can cause the road to be uneven which could cause accidents for drivers. The whole reason to fill in potholes is to improve the road conditions, so having to fix them again because they are too full defeats the purpose. 

Asphalt needs to be heated in order to pour in liquid form and fill in potholes. Heating up asphalt causes Hydrogen Sulfide gas to be released which can lead to lung damage or suffocation. Asphalt needs to be heated to around 150-200 degrees Fahrenheit when being used for potholes. This high temperature can cause severe burns when it is not handled correctly. 

Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Asphalt Company

Working with a professional company like Precision Asphalt Maintenance will help you achieve the best result possible. Repairing potholes yourself may seem easy enough, but working with asphalt experts can actually save you time and money. 

Asphalt experts have practice sealing, filling, and repairing asphalt of all types. This means they can fix any problem much quicker and lower the risk of wasted resources. An expert won’t need multiple attempts to fix the pothole correctly as an inexperienced person will. 

Asphalt for parking lots also needs to be maintained and filled by professionals. Precision Asphalt Maintenance will help repair your asphalt and reduce liability for potential problems that customers may experience. Asphalt needs to be smooth and level to prevent damage to vehicles. 
Precision Asphalt Maintenance is licensed and insured which gives all of our customers peace of mind about their homes or parking spaces. Our team can help you achieve the best result and make your driveway durable throughout all seasons. Contact our team to help improve asphalt and potholes in a timely manner.

During the winter, potholes pop up everywhere. These mar the appearance of roads and create risks for cars. If someone drives over a pothole too quickly, their car could even get damaged. As such, it’s important for people to take care of potholes in a timely manner in order to create a safe environment. 

But can you fix potholes in the winter? Or is your best bet to put a caution sign in them so that drivers and pedestrians know to avoid them until you can repair them come spring and summer? 

The answer to this question is tricky. Here’s what you need to know about if you can fix potholes in the winter.

What Causes Potholes?

Before we get into if you can fix potholes in the winter, it’s helpful to know what causes potholes. Potholes occur when you have depressions in the road due to moisture and impact. The surface can then crack. If you don’t repair these cracks when it’s warm and dry out, they can then grow into potholes. 

Why It’s Important To Fix Potholes

First of all, potholes mar the appearance of your business. They tell clients and customers that you don’t really care about maintaining your property. A parking lot with potholes in it can even drive potential customers away, because it looks run-down and neglected.

Most importantly, potholes can cause damage and injury. They can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. They can damage tires, dislodge wheel weights, break suspension parts, and more. They also create tripping hazards and can cause injury if there is ice around them and someone were to slip and fall. 

If you neglect your responsibility to prevent potholes or to fix them as they occur, you could be held liable for any damage or injury that occurs because of the potholes. 

Can You Fix Potholes In The Winter?

So, clearly, it’s crucial that you take care of potholes in a timely manner. However, most companies don’t do any asphalt paving or repair during the winter months. This is due to how cold weather impacts asphalt. As such, can you even fix potholes in the winter? What are your options if there are potholes on your property?

Factors Involved In Winter Pothole Repair

In short, you can indeed fix potholes in the winter, but it’s usually a temporary fix. This is because in order to do asphalt repairs, you need the ground to be dry and above-freezing temperatures. If the ground is wet, this can cause the freeze-thaw process to continue, resulting in further damage. Cold weather makes it take much longer for asphalt to set and harden. 

As such, most people fill potholes with loose gravel or do a cold weather patch to temporarily keep it covered until they can get their potholes properly prepared in the warmer months. 

However, there are types of asphalt repair products specifically engineered for cold weather use. Cold patches work to prevent the potholes from worsening and help to even out the surface of your asphalt. This creates a safer environment. 

However, you will need to ensure that you have your potholes properly taken care of when it’s warm enough to do so. After all, patches are just that – a patch, not a fix. They’re not meant to last forever. 

Preventing Potholes In The Winter

Of course, the best way to prevent potholes is to have your asphalt repaired in the summer, before the weather starts cooling down. You’ll want to have cracks, holes, and any other damages taken care of. This will help you avoid potholes in the winter months. 

Do You Need To Fix Potholes?

Precision Asphalt Maintenance provides professional asphalt repair services, including pothole repair. We can fix potholes in the winter, as well as almost any other time throughout the year. We are only closed about 15 days out of the year, aside from weekends and holidays.

Contact us today to learn more about our asphalt services or to receive a quote.