Pothole Season
Yep, it’s that time of year already, pothole season! The weather is warming up, and our roads and parking lots are riddled with another winter’s worth of pesky potholes. The longer you wait to deal with them, the worst they’ll get. So, let’s make sure you have all the information you need for this pothole season.
The Freeze-Thaw Cycle
If we want to understand how freeze-thaw cycles affect our pavement, we need to understand how potholes are formed. As you can see in the drawings below, rain or snow seep into the pavement through small cracks.
Image courtesy of City of Ottawa
When it’s cold, the water freezes and expands, creating a cavity between the pavement and the soil. Eventually, the water eventually melts, and the pavement becomes compromised due to the now hollow cavity. When vehicles drive over this compromised section of pavement, the pavement cracks and crumbles, and a pothole is formed.
Of course, as we move through March and into April, temperatures will remain more consistently high, ending the freeze-thaw cycle. This makes spring the perfect time of year to deal with potholes, allowing you to get the most out of your investment before it starts all over again next winter.
The Dangers of Pothole Season
Potholes can be a real liability to your property. Potholes can easily cause flat tires and flat tires can lead to accidents. If either one happens on your property, you could be held liable. That’s right, if someone gets a flat tire from a pothole on your property, and it can be proven that you, the owner, were aware of the pothole, you can be sued for the cost of damages.
Image courtesy of Denny Müller.
If the driver is injured during the incident, you can end up paying even more. The risk of injury goes up when we consider cyclists and motorcyclists, as potholes are an even greater risk to two-wheel vehicles.
Winning Pothole Season!
Our team of experts at Dare can help you win pothole season with quick and professional patches and repairs. And it’s not just potholes, sink holes and cracks in your pavement can prove just as troublesome.
Spring is the perfect time to take care of all these issues. Crack sealing and pothole repair have to be done when the weather is just right in order for the repair to hold up throughout the year. So, what are you waiting for? Just call Dare! Click the link below and get your quote today.
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Featured image courtesy of Matt Hoffman.
