Why Is My Asphalt Driveway Sinking?

An asphalt driveway is a great investment that dramatically improves your property's curb appeal and value. However, many issues can occur with poorly constructed and inadequately maintained paving, making your driveway unsafe, unsightly and barely functional. One example is sinking, also known as asphalt subsidence. Subsidence typically occurs over time, but what are some common causes?

How Does Drainage Cause an Asphalt Driveway to Sink?

Drainage should always be a concern when getting Danville residential paving. A skilled contractor will prioritize proper drainage, ensuring that your new driveway allows for efficient water runoff. A top-quality driveway installation project will involve careful planning to prevent standing water, ensuring that water can flow to nearby drainage infrastructure. When drainage issues occur, soil erosion becomes a major headache. Water can erode the soil around and below your asphalt driveway. Over time, that erosion can undercut the pavement, ruining its foundation and causing it to sink. Unfortunately, it's a common problem that affects driveways constructed by inexperienced paving contractors.

Can Broken Utilities or Vegetation Cause Problems in Driveway Paving?

Sometimes, asphalt driveways will sink do to what lies below its foundation. Many residential paving projects occur near water mains and sewer lines. For example, utilities may run under the edge of the street or along an easement. Whatever the case, issues with those utilities can cause driveway paving to sink. When water-based utilizies leak or rupture, subterranean erosion occurs. In many cases, it goes unnoticed until the erosion causes the soil to settle so much that driveways sink. Vegetation causes a similar issue. New driveways constructed over soil containing dead or living vegetation often sink. Why? Decomposition over many years causes the soil to settle. It's an issue that plagues sites filled with excessive brush, tree roots, stumps, etc.

What Types of Issues Can Cause Sinking After Getting a New Driveway?

Unfortunately, Danville residential paving can sink when installed by inexperienced contractors. Residential paving is more complex than most realize. It's not as easy as pouring and compacting asphalt! Skilled paving contractors go to great lengths to ensure that the new driveway is stable enough to last decades. That involves testing and amending soil before building a strong sub-base foundation. If paving contractors don't do things right, your driveway can sink. Driveway installation projects can suffer many years later due to poor soil compaction, improper sub-base preparation, inadequate base depth and other improper techniques. When getting a new driveway, it's imperative that you seek service from a paving contractor who does thing correctly and skips no corners.

How Can Poor Maintenance Make an Asphalt Driveway Sink?

Failing to address repair issues is another reason why driveway paving sinks. Asphalt is a tough material, but it can succumb to the elements. Cracks are one of the most common forms of damage to affect driveways. While small voids don't seem like a big deal, they can lead to more extensive damage. Cracks are an easy entry point for water penetration on residential paving. Once water enters, it can reach your pavement's base layers and erode it. This happens over time, and you can prevent it from happening by investing in regular pavement maintenance. But failing to fill and seal cracks will lead to costly issues with your Danville residential paving. At E. Wells Paving, we work hard to prevent issues like asphalt driveway sinking. We're a licensed paving company serving property owners in Buffalo Junction and the surrounding areas. We specialize in driveway installation, offering a one-year warranty on our work. Our services include new paving, asphalt sealcoating and more. When you turn to E. Wells Paving, you can rest assured that we're taking every precaution to prepare your driveway and its sub-base to prevent future issues. Our goal is to give you a new driveway that lasts, and we never cut corners to make it happen. Call E. Wells Paving at (434)443-5815 for a free estimate. You can also submit our online contact form or email  ewellspaving98@gmail.com  to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you and showing you why we're the best choice for Danville residential paving!