If you live in the Northeast, you’ve most likely spent the last month or so avoiding all of the potholes on the roads and the more you think about it, the more you notice that every year when winter comes around, it leaves a slew of dents and divots for you to maneuver around – especially if the winter was bad. Have you ever wondered why this happens? This paving company blog article is meant to shed some light.
Potholes are essentially caused by water – specifically frozen water. When it rains or snows, water enters the ground underneath the pavement. When the water freezes, it expands (think of ice cubes), which means that when the water in the ground freezes, the ground pushes up against the pavement. In response, the pavement expands as well and if it expands too much, it will bend and crack. The next time it rains or snows, water will seep into these cracks and the whole process will start over again.
As people drive over this area of weakness in the asphalt, the weight of their vehicles adds more stress to the area and eventually, the pavement will break and a hole will form. Potholes can be incredibly problematic – especially at night or during bad weather, when they’re hard to see. The more a pothole is driven over, the worse it will become. Sometimes, potholes can be so bad that they can do damage to your car. Many drivers experience blown-out tires, bent rims, and disrupted alignments.
You’ll start to see potholes as soon as it starts to get warm out. At the end of winter and in early spring, daytime temperatures tend to be above freezing and nighttime temperatures tend to be below freezing. This is the perfect weather for potholes because it allows for a constant freeze-thaw cycle.
If you have a parking lot or driveway with potholes, don’t hesitate to call our asphalt patching company. We’ll have it fixed as soon as possible.
At Mr. Pavement, we suggest taking your time while driving this spring. Be on the lookout for potholes and if you happen to hit a pothole and damage your car, pull over to the side of the road as far as you can, put your flashers on, and call for help
