If you think that rain is already causing disaster on your pavement, you might be shocked to know that even the sun can cause damage to your pavement. High UV exposure can slowly cause your pavement to deteriorate.
Pavement UV Damage and You: What You Need to Know
One of the most common things that a pavement will have to deal with is the damage caused by the sun. So, let’s take a look at what negative effects you might have to deal with when the full brunt of the sun is bearing down on your pavement
New and/or Even Worse Potholes
As you may already be aware, when the pavement is exposed to extremely high heat, its temperature rises much above the actual temperature. This is due to the fact that heated molecules travel more quickly.
The molecular bonds that keep the pavement together become pliable as a result, increasing your chance of developing new potholes or making existing ones considerably worse. Additionally, the pavement surface may heat up unevenly, which distorts the structure’s overall composition.
When the pavement expands due to heat, there is a significantly greater chance that cracks, potholes, soft patches, and stress fractures will develop or deepen.
Deterioration of the Top Layer
The top layer of your pavement’s surface might fade and deteriorate as a result of the sun’s UV radiation penetrating it. Once your pavement’s top layer starts to erode, it is considerably more likely to develop issues like potholes, cracks, tracks, and other problems. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you periodically seal-coat your pavement to protect it from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Oxidation
Asphalt oxidation makes it progressively more fragile, less elastic, and prone to cracking or failing in other ways. When your pavement is exposed to UV rays, a chemical reaction takes place that reduces the quantity of binding oil overall in the pavement, which can result in cracks, webbing, and an overall decline.
In fact, when the pavement’s color progressively changes over the years, the process of oxidation may be observed.
Cracking
Older pavements can develop cracks from extended exposure to heat because it can cause cracking and webbing when asphalt heats up and the binding chemicals weaken. Cracks on the pavement often happen on roads with heavy traffic and high heat exposure. However, this can also happen on your home pavement. When this happens, it would be ideal to get in contact with a professional to get it fixed immediately since these cracks are the stepping stones for potholes to form.
Weakened Pavement
Your pavement deteriorates over time as a result of ultraviolet light eroding the links between the oils and other elements and turning it into a gray color. Once the sun’s rays have caused enough harm, the water will eventually seep through the surface of the building and flow down to the base, where it will do irreparable damage.
Tracking
Days with high temperatures have a tendency to weaken and soften the pavement’s surface, which can lead to small particles sticking to footwear, wheels, and other things that come into contact with it. So, if you see tire tracks, footprints, and whatnot on the pavement, it’s most likely the result of tracking caused by the heat of the sun.
Final Thoughts
The natural elements are really a pain in the butt for your pavement. However, that does not mean you can’t do anything to protect your pavement!