The two most important reasons you need to maintain and repair the cracks is because you don’t want moisture to penetrate under the asphalt surface causing more damage to your driveway or parking lot.

You should also sealcoat your asphalt surface as well, for added protection and preventative maintenance against the elements.

The second reason you should fill the cracks in your asphalt is vegetation will begin growing in them. As the roots on vegetation get bigger, the plant root can actually push the pavement up and create even more damage.

Even worse, if water does penetrate the crack and seeps under the asphalt surface, this will almost always create a soft spot which in turn can create a Pot Hole and if you live where the temperatures create ground freezing, then this moisture under the asphalt surface will freeze and push the pavement up.

All of these conditions can be avoided by practicing good asphalt maintenance and keeping these cracks filled as they occur and then sealcoating to protect the whole parking lot or driveway.

Crack sealing is a maintenance method in which hot sealant is applied to working cracks to prevent water intrusion.

What are working cracks?

• Working cracks are horizontal and/or vertical movements in cracks greater than 0.1 inches.
• An example of working cracks is a transverse crack.

Understanding crack sealants
Crack sealants are rubberized and have the ability to seal the crack while staying flexible with the pavement’s movement. Beneficial for active cracks that continue to extend in size and severity over time, crack sealants stop water and debris from entering the crack, protecting the longevity of the pavement.