Asphalt Repair in Allentown, PA

Asphalt repair is about stopping a small failure before it becomes a big one. In Allentown, most potholes and broken areas show up in late winter and early spring, after water has frozen in cracks, lifted the surface and then thawed into a soft base. Cars finish the job. A cold-patch filled pothole often pops out again within weeks because the base under it is still wet and broken.

Types of repair

HomeGuide lists several methods with different costs and lifespans:

• Cold patch ($2 to $4 per sq ft): a temporary fix, useful in winter until a proper repair can be made.
• Hot patch ($2 to $5 per sq ft): hot mix packed into a cleaned-out hole.
• Infrared repair ($2 to $6 per sq ft): the old asphalt is heated, reworked with new material and compacted, leaving no seams.
• Saw-cut patch ($4 to $12 per sq ft): the damaged area is cut out square, the base repaired, and new asphalt placed full depth. This is the most durable repair.

Most repair calls also carry a minimum or call-out charge, which HomeGuide puts at $100 to $250.

Finding the cause

A pothole is a symptom. Before we patch, we look for why that spot failed: a downspout emptying onto the pavement, water running off a neighbor's yard, a low spot that ponds, a buried utility trench that settled, or a heavy vehicle parking on the edge. If the cause is not fixed, the patch will fail like the original did. On limestone ground, a depression that keeps sinking deserves a closer look rather than another layer of asphalt.

Edges and aprons

Driveway edges break off when there is no support beside them: the base ends at the asphalt edge, the lawn settles, and tires roll off the side. We rebuild broken edges with base under them and can add a shoulder of stone or soil so the edge stays supported. Where the driveway meets a city sidewalk or curb, any work that opens the street or alley surface in Allentown requires a Public Works permit, and we plan around that.

Utility cuts

After a water, sewer or gas line repair, the trench through a driveway or lot is often backfilled and left with a temporary patch. Those trenches commonly settle. We dig out the temporary material, compact the backfill and stone, and place full-depth asphalt that ties into the old surface.

Repair or replace

When repairs cover more than a fraction of the surface, or new failures keep appearing around old patches, it is usually time for an overlay or replacement. We will tell you if we think you are at that point.