Prevent Water Damage
The best thing to do is to prevent water intrusion through or under the pavement as much as possible. Water is susceptible to freezing and thawing, which prematurely damages the pavement. Try to get good drainage away from the driveway as well. Your paving contractor can help with this as they are going through the paving process.
Sealcoat and Fill Cracks
If there are cracks in the pavement, seal them as adamantly and frequently as needed. Sealcoating periodically will help keep the elements from oxidizing the surface. However, do not overseal, as that will shorten the life of the pavement. Wolf Paving recommends seal coating every few years. Sealcoat only when the previous seal coat is worn off by traffic to a point where significant portions of the bare pavement below the seal coat are showing.
Consider Replacing the Asphalt
If you have followed the above two steps and your pavement still looks worn out, it may be time to think about replacing the asphalt. It may be time to replace the asphalt if it stops functioning mechanically, meaning it does not drain properly, is bumpy, or there is too much settling.
Another reason you may want to consider replacing the asphalt is if it just looks bad. If it doesn’t look its best anymore, even after crack filling and seal coating, replacement is the only option.
The life expectancy varies based on climate, traffic, and maintenance. It is possible to have asphalt pavement last 25-30 years, but this depends on how strong the base is, the soil types underneath, how well those soils drain, how to think the original road, parking lot, or driveway was paved.
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