Infrared technology is an innovative way to repair potholes during the season’s lowest temperatures
Asphalt is a popular material choice for many parking lots because of its durability, cost-effectiveness and its ability to withstand heavier loads. With regular maintenance, asphalt can last many years and survive many seasons. While the ideal time to winterize your parking lot has passed, infrared asphalt repair is the perfect stop-gap solution to prevent the cold and ice from causing potholes to double in size and wreak havoc on your paved surfaces before the spring thaw.
What Is Infrared Asphalt Technology?
Infrared asphalt technology is an effective solution for critical repairs that can be used even in the winter. To use it, the damaged section of a parking lot is cleared of debris and heated to over 300 degrees. When the damaged area reaches the proper temperature, our expert crew sets the perimeter and rakes the entire repair area to remove any failed aggregate that has cracked or come loose. After a rejuvenator is applied to the area, new asphalt is blended directly into the original asphalt so the area can be re-raked and properly graded. The affected area is then compacted with a vibratory roller or plate for a seamless repair that is structurally and aesthetically sound.
Infrared Pothole Repair
While infrared technology can be used to repair many asphalt defects, like uneven surfaces surrounding catch basins, it is most commonly used for pothole repair. While potholes are unwelcome year-round, they’re particularly problematic in the winter because the expansion and contraction of water beneath the lot’s surface can cause them to grow. It’s critical to address potholes as soon as they emerge and treat them with a seamless restoration to prevent further moisture from entering the pavement surface.
Prevent Liability
Potholes are not only unsightly, but also pose a potential liability for customers navigating your business in the winter. Snow can obscure surface irregularities, and ice can make them even more treacherous. Monitoring your lot for imperfections, and addressing them in a timely fashion, is critical to providing your customers the best – and safest – experience possible.
Year Round Service
Infrared pothole repair can be performed under conditions that render most other methods impossible: it’s the only treatment you can use year-round, despite low temperatures that might be too cold for hot mix. This method recycles some of the original asphalt, making it a cost-effective solution. This is especially handy in the winter, when it’s common to see the price of asphalt rise because more equipment is needed to maintain adequate material temperatures.
Fast Service
Infrared asphalt repair also takes less time to perform than a traditional repair job, meaning that the problem can be addressed as soon as it arises and with minimal disruption of traffic and business hours. Most importantly, infrared asphalt repair ensures a truly seamless fix. By fusing the original surface and the patched surface’s seam together, infrared technology eliminates the possibility of water penetrating the surface and prevents the problem from resurfacing.
Rose Paving is dedicated to making sure all of our parking lots withstand the winter and emerge no worse for the wear in 2018. Whether that means designing a comprehensive Portfolio Management Plan (PMP) for your business or performing asphalt repair work, our teams are up to task. Contact us today.
Terry Smith is the Chief Operating Officer at Rose Paving and a seasoned expert in the paving industry. With decades of hands-on experience, he leads operations with a focus on quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
