Contractors build pavements to serve specific functions. For example, a parking lot must support the weight of vehicles, but a walking trail only needs to support pedestrians. However, no matter what function an asphalt pavement is meant to serve, one thing that reputable paving contractors are adamant about is that the new pavement needs a solid foundation.
Why Do Paving Contractors Need to Ensure That the Pavement Has a Solid Foundation?
Your long-term satisfaction with the pavement your paving contractor in Atlanta installs will depend on the strength and stability of the foundation. A solid foundation is critical for the pavement’s longevity, safety, drainage, and lifetime costs.
How Does the Foundation Affect the Longevity of the Pavements That Paving Contractors Install?
Any reputable Atlanta paving contractor understands the impact of the local weather on asphalt pavements. Fluctuating temperatures, periodic dry conditions, and heavy rainfalls can cause the ground beneath your pavement to rise and fall vertically or expand and contract horizontally. With a strong foundation, the ground movements will be kept to a minimum. Without a strong foundation, the movement can crack or break the pavement, or it can allow areas of the pavement to sink into air pockets between the pavement and the subsided foundation. Asphalt paving in Atlanta should last between 15 and 25 years with proper maintenance, but a poor foundation could cut the pavement’s longevity in half.
Why Does the Quality of the Foundation Impact the Safety of the Pavement Installed by Paving Contractors?
Weak foundations can cause a variety of problems, especially if the pavement is subjected to heavy loads. Without proper support, the pavement can develop potholes and surface depressions, or it can crack or buckle. These problems can manifest very quickly and unexpectedly, posing hazards for pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists. Therefore, you can help protect yourself from potential lawsuits by making sure that your local paving contractor pays special attention to creating a strong foundation.
What Is the Connection Between Drainage and the Foundation That a Paving Company Installs?
A reputable paving contractor in Atlanta understands the importance of proper drainage. If a paving company does not ensure adequate drainage, the pavement can become waterlogged, or water may pool in low spots. Poor runoff or standing water can make driving conditions more hazardous, but inadequate drainage also increases the risk of pavement damage.
How Does the Foundation a Paving Contractor Installs Affect the Lifetime Cost of the Pavement?
The cost of your pavement is more than just the price you pay your Atlanta paving contractor to build the pavement. You must also consider the pavement’s lifetime costs, which are the payments you make for maintenance and repairs.
1. If your local Atlanta paving contractor does not install a strong, stable foundation, your pavement will be more likely to crack. Although crack repairs are economical, your costs can pile up if you have to call for a crack repair every month or two.
2. Poor drainage, especially when combined with unrepaired cracks, can lead to water penetration. Water penetration can erode the foundation, destabilizing and weakening it. If your paving contractor did not construct the foundation properly, it will not take much for the foundation to fail over a wide area. You can expect to see alligator cracking and large, deep potholes as a result.
3. Foundation repairs are typically time-consuming and relatively expensive. Your paving contractor will usually need to remove the damaged area to expose the foundation, repair the foundation, then repave the area.
4. A weak, unstable foundation can affect the economic feasibility of an asphalt overlay. Your Atlanta paving contractor will need to assess the extent of your foundation damage. However, overlays are often not cost-effective if more than 25% of the foundation needs to be repaired or strengthened. If the foundation damage is too extensive, your only option will likely be to hire a paving company to remove and rebuild your pavement. Potentially, this could be necessary before your pavement is halfway through its estimated life expectancy.
The Surface Masters is a prominent Atlanta paving contractor providing a wide range of services. We install asphalt paving and overlays, repair cracks, install asphalt patches, and offer sealcoating, pavement markings, concrete work, and milling and reclamation. We have an exemplary reputation for craftsmanship, professionalism, responsiveness, dependability, and integrity. To request a free job quote, call 770-250-6392, fill out our online form, or email Info@TheSurfaceMasters.com.
