12/29/2021
How does Asphalt fail?
Cracks are an entry point for water to get beneath the asphalt. As water gets beneath the asphalt it allows the asphalt to flex as weight is applied from moving across it which can also allow for soil erosion which will accelerate the cracking much faster. As a new crack appears, more water can now get beneath the asphalt, causing even more cracking allowing even more water until eventually your entire driveway fails.
Tree roots can cause massive damage to your driveway. As the tree grows, it needs more water. If you have cracks in your driveway that allow water to stand beneath it, a tree will find it and destroy your driveway. Fill those cracks every as often as possible. While Topps does not apply rubberized crack filler on residential jobs, these are the best long term solution you can buy to solve this issue cheaper than any service provider can. Shop online for U-Seal USA or Crack-Stix (Home Depot, Lowes & Amazon all sell these products). This is the exact same grade used on highways and roads.
Support the edges of your road or driveway. If water is allowed to rapidly move away from the edges of the asphalt, it will carry soil away, allowing the edges to crack off, from the weight of your vehicle, as it drives along the edges, as there will be no soil supporting it. The best long term way to slow this is to place Bricks, Ties, Concrete walls or Retaining Wall Blocks along the edges.
