How to Maintain Asphalt Pavement: Things You Should Know

Asphalt maintenance has a reputation for being complicated, mostly because there is a lot of conflicting advice out there. In practice, the things that keep asphalt in good shape come down to understanding what wears it out and dealing with those forces early. Whether you own a home driveway in Middletown or manage a lot in Toms River, the principles are the same.

Know what actually wears asphalt out

Four things do most of the damage:

1. Water that gets under the surface and softens the base, then freezes and expands in winter.
2. Sun and oxygen, which slowly dry out the binder, turning the surface gray and brittle.
3. Loads that are heavier, more concentrated or more frequent than the pavement was built for.
4. Petroleum products like gas, oil and hydraulic fluid that soften the binder.

Every useful maintenance habit addresses one of these.

Water control comes first

If you do only one thing, manage water. Make sure gutters and downspouts empty away from the pavement. Look at the ground along the edges: it should slope away so runoff does not collect against the asphalt. In parking lots, keep catch basins and inlets clear of leaves, sand and trash, especially after fall and after the winter sanding season. Any spot that holds water a day after rain is worth noting, because that is where the next hole is likely to form.

Keep the edges supported

Asphalt edges are only as strong as what is next to them. When soil washes out or turf dies off, the edge has nothing holding it, and tires running along it break it down. Backfill low edges with soil and keep grass healthy there. On narrow driveways where cars keep drifting off the side, a driveway widening can solve the problem for good.

Clean regularly and deal with spills fast

Sweeping or blowing off leaves, sand and debris keeps drains working and lets you actually see the surface. Spills are a separate matter: a leaking car parked in the same place for months will leave a soft, crumbly spot. Blot fresh spills, cover them with an absorbent, sweep it up and fix the leak. Park leaking vehicles over a drip pan.

Respect the load limits

Residential driveways are not built for loaded dump trucks, cranes or heavy equipment. If you are having work done on the house, ask contractors to keep heavy trucks on the street or to lay plywood under outriggers and stands. In parking lots, notice where delivery and trash trucks travel and turn; those paths take the most punishment. In summer heat, all of this matters more because the surface is softer.

Inspect twice a year

A quick walk in spring and fall is enough for most properties. Look for:

• New or widening cracks, especially the interconnected “alligator” pattern
• Holes or loose material
• Sunken, rutted or raised areas
• Crumbling edges
• Places that hold water

Photos with the date make it easy to tell what is getting worse.

Act early, and fix the cause

Small failures grow. A loose area you notice in the fall can become a deep hole by February. Most of these start with water, so the first fix is usually drainage: redirect the downspout, rebuild the soft edge, clear the inlet. When the surface itself is worn out, the lasting answer is milling off the old asphalt and repaving, with any failed base sections rebuilt and compacted level with the rest. Quick fills dropped into a hole have their place in an emergency but are not a long-term fix.

Know when maintenance is no longer enough

All pavement eventually reaches the end of its life. When cracking covers large areas or the base has failed, the right next step is milling and repaving or full replacement rather than another round of spot repairs. Our asphalt driveway paving service covers both.

For a driveway-focused checklist, read four ways to maintain your asphalt driveway. If you manage commercial property, our tips on taking care of your asphalt parking lot cover cleaning in more depth.