FEATURE

By Jeff Winke

Cracks come in all shapes and sizes . Sealing them in a timely manner is one of the most effective ways to maintain the quality of your pavement . One of the biggest mistakes is waiting too long to begin maintenance . “ Crack sealing is a maintenance practice used to repair cracks and prevent the development of new cracks in asphalt pavement ,” states Jenn Brasher , equipment sales and marketing manager for Marathon Equipment Inc ., Burlington , Ontario , Canada . “ The process involves filling or sealing cracks with rubberized asphalt sealant , to prevent debris or water from infiltrating the pavement . Regular maintenance helps to extend the life of the pavement and prevent future damage of the area . Crack sealing maintenance is important because it can help prevent cracks from turning into more extensive damage , such as potholes .” Potholes are bad news . They can cause real damage--puncture tires , bend rims and throw steering out of alignment . “ Crack sealing is the absolutely best preventative maintenance item that you can do to prevent potholes from forming ,” stated Jason Stepp , vice president , national sales manager with Stepp

Manufacturing Co ., Inc ., North Branch , Minnesota . “ Pavement preservation is key . Moisture infiltration is the number one cause for pavement degradation and sealing them with a quality crack sealant prolongs the life by many additional years of service . The key is to get on the problem when the road surface is fairly new and seal the new cracks and come back to them every couple of years to seal the new forming cracks . A little bit of very low-cost preventive maintenance saves high repaving cost in the future .” Prepping the affected area before crack sealing ensures good results . “ In all cases organics , such as grass and weeds , and sand and dirt must be removed from both the surface and the crack completely , stated Ben Thielbar , director of sales with Cimline , Inc ., Plymouth , Minnesota . “ For good results , you ’ ll want to use mechanicals tools and a blower . For better results , you ’ ll want to use mechanicals tools and an air compressor with greater than 80 CFM and 125 PSI air . And for the best results , you ’ ll want to include a heat lance to ensure all organics and moisture are out of the crack to promote optimal adhesion . As with all the processes , routing a crack will also improve life cycle and success as it ensures a proper reservoir for material to expand and contract with the crack under changing weather conditions .”

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