Biyearly or at least yearly professional inspections should be considered essential to keep any medium to large sized property in good condition. That applies to both commercial and private properties of all kinds. However, it’s always possible that some issue or the other will pop up in between two inspections, especially if we are discussing larger real estate.

Therefore, property managers, property owners, and landlords should get to know the signs of property damage as well. In this post, we will focus on some of the most common signs of asphalt pavement damage that everyone should keep an eye out for.

Cracks

Cracks on an asphalt pavement are the most common and most revealing sign of damage, but there is more to it. There are several different types of cracks and anyone in charge of property maintenance should learn to recognize them. Next, you will find a brief but handy guide to help you with just that.

Longitudinal Cracks

Longitudinal cracks, aka linear cracks stretch vertically alongside the pavement’s centerline in parallel. They may indicate wear and tear, asphalt contraction, and vulnerable points along the joints. Any linear cracks below 1.3 cm can be sealed off, but the entire layer might need to be replaced and relayed if the cracks are thicker than 1.5 cm.

Transverse Cracks

If you see long horizontal cracks running perpendicular to the pavement’s centerline instead of the vertical parallel cracks discussed previously, these are called transverse cracks. More than anything else, it’s a clear sign of bad asphalt laying and pavement construction. If the pavement is quite old, then transverse cracks could just be another sign of wear and tear.

Alligator Cracks

Alligator cracks will make the damaged portion of your asphalt pavement look like the scales of an alligator. These clusters of multiple small cracks are common signs of water damage, excessive usage/load, and poor construction design. Although alligator cracks indicate damage throughout the layers, they can often be limited to one section of the pavement.

In such instances, a full depth patch in that area can be enough to save the pavement and repair the asphalt against future damages. Click here to contact McConnell & Associates and book an inspection or consultation regarding possible solutions.

Block Cracks

Block cracks are just much larger versions of alligator cracks, brought on by the same reasons. They may not remind you of alligator scales because of their size though. Due to the size of these cracks, repairs are often not an option. A complete replacement and relaying of asphalt might be needed to fix the problem. 

Potholes and Depressions

Potholes and depressions are more a result of severe asphalt damage, rather than just being a sign. Just like the name suggests, depressions are depressed portions of your asphalt pavement that indicate severe damage from untreated cracks. Depressions on the pavement will eventually turn into deeper and more dangerous potholes on the asphalt, if left untreated.

Raveling is a different kind of damage from any of what you just went through so far. It’s what happens when the topmost layer of the asphalt pavement begins to come loose. If you notice rough patches, uneven surface areas, and loose gravel, it’s time to call for an inspection.

Also, Read about- Commsor raises $16 million