An asphalt driveway can quietly wear down for years before something finally gets your attention, like a hole your tire drops into or a chunk of the edge that breaks off into the lawn. Catching problems early is the difference between a quick repair and a bigger project. These are four of the most common signs that your driveway needs repair, what causes each one and how it is usually fixed.
1. Holes and broken areas
What you’ll see
Holes where the asphalt has broken away completely, often with loose pieces around the edge. They tend to appear in late winter and early spring.
What’s behind it
A hole almost always starts as a crack or a weak spot that lets water in. Water softens the base underneath, and freeze-thaw cycles break up the surface above it. Traffic does the rest.
How it’s fixed
Start with the water: find the crack, low spot or downspout that let it in and correct it. If the surface is worn but the base is mostly sound, the driveway can be milled and repaved, with the broken sections dug out and rebuilt on a compacted base as part of the job. Filling a hole with loose bagged material may get you through a winter, but it rarely lasts. The sooner it is handled, the less of the surrounding pavement is pulled into the problem.
2. Cracks that keep growing
What you’ll see
Cracks come in several forms: single lines running along or across the driveway, cracks along the edges, and the interconnected “alligator” pattern of small blocks.
What’s behind it
Single cracks are often caused by age, sun and temperature changes as the asphalt loses flexibility. Alligator cracking is more serious. It usually means the base is weak or wet and can no longer support the surface.
How it’s fixed
Areas of alligator cracking need a full-depth repair so the base can be corrected, done as part of repaving the driveway. When cracking is spread throughout the driveway but the base is still sound, milling and repaving can provide a new surface. When it is widespread and the base has failed, replacement is the lasting fix. Our guide to six types of asphalt cracks breaks down each one.
3. Sunken spots, ruts and puddles
What you’ll see
Low areas where water collects after rain, depressions in the tire paths, or a dip in one section of the driveway.
What’s behind it
Settling usually happens where the soil underneath was not properly compacted, was too wet or soft, or was disturbed by an old trench for a utility line. Heavy vehicles, including oil delivery and moving trucks, can also press ruts into the surface, especially in summer heat.
How it’s fixed
The sunken area is removed, the base is rebuilt and compacted, and new asphalt is placed at the correct grade so water runs off. Leaving low spots alone invites more damage, since standing water weakens the base and turns to ice in the winter.
4. Crumbling edges
What you’ll see
The sides of the driveway breaking off in chunks, with the driveway getting narrower over time.
What’s behind it
Edges need support from the soil or lawn beside them. When that soil washes out or turf dies off, the edge is left hanging. Tires that drift off the side, plow blades and heavy trucks break it down further.
How it’s fixed
Broken edges are cut back to solid pavement, the base is rebuilt and new asphalt is placed and compacted along the edge. Backfilling soil against the finished edge keeps it supported. On a driveway that is too narrow for how it is used, widening can stop the problem from repeating.
Repair now, avoid replacement later
Each of these problems grows when it is ignored, and New Jersey winters speed the process along. Fixing them early protects the rest of the driveway. Learn more about our asphalt driveway paving service, and see three tell-tale signs it’s time to repair your driveway for another look at what to watch for.
Need this done right?
Dan The Paver handles asphalt driveway paving across Monmouth, Ocean (Toms River and north) and southern Middlesex counties. Free on-site estimates.