Ever look down your driveway off Eldridge Avenue and notice the Asphalt is starting to look a little gray and tired? That color change is not just cosmetic. Out here in Kitsap County, our weather does a lot of damage to Pavement. Between the relentless winter dampness and those few scorching weeks in August, your Asphalt takes a beating year-round.
Synergy Asphalt Bremerton has been fixing and sealing driveways all over Bremerton for years, from East Bremerton hillsides down to the flat stretches near Manette. Every neighborhood has its own quirks. If you live closer to the water, that salt air and constant moisture will speed up oxidation faster than you would think. Asphalt is basically held together by liquid Asphalt binder. Once the sun and rain strip that binder out, the aggregate starts popping loose. That is when you get those annoying loose stones and cracks forming.
People often ask when they should actually put down a fresh coat of Sealcoating. You do not want to do it too early on brand-new Paving; give it at least six months to a year to cure properly. But once that rich black color starts fading to gray, you are on borrowed time. Wait too long, and water will start seeping into the base course. Once water gets down into the crushed rock sub-base during a freeze, you will see Potholes and alligator cracking pop up out of nowhere.
What Goes Into a Proper Sealcoating Job
Applying a good coat of Sealer is not just about dumping a bucket of black liquid on the ground and pushing it around with a broom. Proper prep makes or breaks the whole project. Here is what Synergy Asphalt Bremerton usually has to tackle before any product touches your driveway:
- Blowing out every crack and clearing out organic debris from nearby Douglas firs.
- Treating oil spots so the Sealer actually sticks instead of peeling up later.
- Patching deep depressions where water loves to pool after a heavy downpour.
Synergy Asphalt Bremerton uses commercial-grade emulsion sealers that stand up to our Pacific Northwest climate. Cheap do-it-yourself sealers from the big box store usually wash away after one solid season of winter rain. You want something that actually locks out moisture and blocks ultraviolet rays without becoming slick as ice when it gets wet.
If you have noticed hairline cracks webbing across your parking area or driveway, do not wait until next summer to deal with it. Catching Asphalt Repair early saves you from paying for a full replacement down the road. Give Synergy Asphalt Bremerton a call or drop us a line, and we will come by to take a look at what your Pavement actually needs in Bremerton, Washington.