4 Easy Tips for Maintaining Chip Seal Roadways

Chip sealing your roadway is a process where you apply a seal of liquid asphalt to the road. After that, you layer it with chipped rock that has a coat of asphalt in order to protect your seal and improve the traction it provides. Once you apply chip seal, the roadway will become protected against losing its flexibility and becoming brittle. The maintenance that comes with chip seal surfaces is probably why you considered it to begin with. Blacktop requires much more maintenance than chip seal. You do still need to stay on top of your maintenance routine. Here are some tips for protecting and maintaining your chip seal roadways.

With an average life cycle of about seven years, if you neglect the regular care and maintenance required, you can decrease the lifespan dramatically. As experts in chip seal and asphalt paving in Lodi, CA, we are here to advise you on the proper maintenance of chip seal. These are a few ways that you need to care for your chip seal roadways.

Let The Binder Set

Many drivers do not wait till the binder is set fully before they go for a test ride. In order to avoid many headaches with maintenance. Wait till the chip seal has set. If you prematurely drive on it, the surface could become uneven and you will notice many loose stones.

Accelerate and Brake Softly

Hard braking and accelerating will cause stones to loosen. You may even fling them across the driveway, parking lot, or road. You may find it difficult to control drivers on a public roadway or in your business’s parking lot, but you are able to easily monitor this on your own property.

Sweep it Frequently

You will notice that stones come loose over time. This is normal, and you shouldn't worry about it too much. Just make sure you watch the potential dangers of the loose stones. Sweeping regularly will keep the loose stones from being flung around by car tires.

Also, when you are sweeping up your drive, make sure you monitor the conditions of the chip seal roadway itself. If you notice any cracks or holes, you may have to perform some minor repairs. Unlike blacktop, which needs to be monitored frequently for cracks, chip seal is a self-healing surface. Smaller cracks and holes will fix themselves, leaving you with the bigger ones to deal with. A tip for repairs, make sure you are using new stones. They must be clean. Liquid asphalt will struggle to hold to dirty, old, or dusty chips.

Regularly Wash Your Chip Seal Surface

Petroleum-based products, like motor oil, can break down the binder of your chip seal surface. If cars are frequenting your chip seal roadway, you will get a lot of automotive fluids. This is why you need to care for your chip seal surface on a regular basis. Let it be known, a regular washing may only have to be done once every year.

If you are ready for chip seal or asphalt paving in Lodi, CA, trust the team at M Carroll Blacktop with all of your needs. Contact us to get a free estimate for your job today!