Driveways in Riverdale last for decades while others down in Throggs Neck start cracking after just a couple of winters because of timing and weather. Running a local crew here in the Bronx means we see firsthand how brutal our local climate is on residential Asphalt Paving. Between the freezing Nor'easters dumping heavy wet snow and the baking July humidity that turns pavement soft, your Asphalt Driveway takes a serious beating year-round.
Spring: Assessing the Winter Damage
Once the snowplows finally stop scraping down our Bronx streets, you need to walk out to your Asphalt Driveway and take a hard look at what winter left behind. Freeze-thaw cycles are a major enemy of Asphalt Paving. Water gets down into tiny hairline cracks, expands when the temperature plunges below freezing, and pops the stone right apart. If you see small cracks showing up after the thaw, do not wait. Catching them early stops them from turning into massive potholes by next January. Spring is also the ideal time to schedule Asphalt Maintenance before the summer rush hits full swing.
Summer: Heat, Sun, and Sealcoating Weather
Summer in the city gets hot, and that intense sun bakes the vital oils right out of your pavement. Older driveways turn a dull, chalky gray instead of a rich black. That means the binder is drying out and losing its flexibility. At Aim High Asphalt Co, we schedule Asphalt Sealcoating jobs when the weather stays consistently warm and dry. Asphalt Sealcoating needs proper ambient temperatures to cure right. If it is too cold or damp, the sealer will not bond. Keep heavy delivery trucks off your soft Asphalt Driveway on those ninety-degree July afternoons when the surface gets pliable.
Fall: Prepping Before the Freeze
Fall is crunch time for Asphalt Maintenance. Before the leaves start dropping and clogging up your drainage, make sure your Asphalt Driveway is buttoned up for the cold months ahead. Clear out any debris stuck in expansion joints or edges. If you have standing water pooling near your garage door or out by the curb, you have a drainage issue that needs fixing before the first hard freeze turns that puddle into a sheet of black ice. A quick patch or Crack Filling applied in October can save you thousands of dollars in premature Asphalt Replacement costs down the road.
Taking care of your pavement is straightforward, but you do have to respect the seasons. Keep things clean, deal with minor damage fast, and your Asphalt Driveway will easily handle whatever the weather brings to the Bronx.