Are you making plans to have a new driveway installed on your residential property? If you live in a cooler climate, you may be under the impression that residential asphalt paving for your driveway is not the best choice. You may believe concrete is your only logical choice. However, asphalt-paved driveways work well in many geographical locations, regardless of the climate. Take a look at a few common myths associated with asphalt paving in colder-climate areas.
Myth: Asphalt driveways are not a good idea in cold climates.
Asphalt has to be installed at a certain temperature so it does not harden or cure too quickly and compromise the integrity of the materials. This fact leads people to believe asphalt is not a good fit in colder climate areas. However, as long as the temperatures reach a warm enough point during the warmer months for the material to be installed properly, you should be fine. The cold weather is not an issue for asphalt beyond the time of installation.
Myth: Asphalt breaks down easily when exposed to salt treatments.
Concrete surfaces are notorious for being sensitive to erosion with salt or brine treatments often used in cold climates. Asphalt is far more resilient to salt treatments because the materials are not as prone to erosion. Salt does not have the same effect on the aggregate and crude petroleum in asphalt as it does on the cement and hardeners in concrete. While it is always a good idea to rinse away salt and brine treatments once they are no longer needed, you should not face major issues with asphalt deterioration.
Myth: You can't scrape asphalt as easily as concrete after heavy snow.
Asphalt is just as easy to scrape for snow removal purposes as concrete and other paved surfaces. In fact, asphalt can be more resistant to issues with surface flaking and damage because the material can be more flexible. Therefore, if you live in an area that usually involves scraping your driveway after frozen precipitation, asphalt is a good option.
Myth: Ice clings to asphalt longer than concrete.
The opposite of this myth is actually true. Asphalt is known to retain heat and absorb heat from the sun or the ground. Therefore, ice that develops on asphalt is more likely to thaw quicker than ice clinging to another paved surface like concrete because the asphalt stays warmer. This is one reason asphalt pavement is common in cold-weather climates.
Contact a residential asphalt paving service to learn more.
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