What causes Potholes and How Are They Fixed?

Spencer Paving is located in Upstate New York and anyone from that area knows that potholes can get big enough they could charge rent. Have you ever wondered where potholes come from and why sometimes it takes so long for them to be repaired?

The simple answer is that winter causes most potholes. Specifically, it is the freezing and thawing that causes the biggest issues. This is why you typically see potholes getting worse during late winter and early spring. The water from snow and rain will get into cracks and holes and then freeze and expand. When vehicles drive over these spots over and over again the area will see more and more damage.

In the winter, we may not notice these potholes as much because they are filled with snow but as the rain in spring starts to fall we see these getting bigger and deeper.

So, how are potholes fixed?

Although potholes can be fixed in the winter it is not ideal. However, if the pothole is dangerous there may not be another option. If the repair needs to be done in the colder weather cold mix asphalt will likely be used. This type of mix can be used in low temperatures and remains more flexible than hot mix because it takes longer to cure.

When repairing potholes, at Spencer Paving we follow these steps:

1) Clean the pothole

2) Heat the pothole

3) Add new asphalt

4) Allow the asphalt to cool

While you might think no one likes potholes that isn’t always true because we at Spencer Paving enjoy finding and repairing potholes. We understand the process and the best way to provide a long-lasting repair.