Learn More About Infrared Asphalt Repairs
What is Infrared Asphalt Repairs?
The damaged asphalt is heated so that it becomes soft, then the area is reworked. Rejuvenating emulsion is sprayed on and new asphalt is applied to fill in any voids. The entire area is them compacted with a vibratory compactor to form a seamless patch that is thermally bonded to the surrounding pavement.
Will water leak through infrared Asphalt repairs?
No. Thermal bonding of the Infrared asphalt repair with the surrounding pavement makes the repair an integral piece of the pavement.
Is Infrared Patch repair a green process?
Yes. Infrared uses the existing asphalt which leaves little or no wasted material. In fact, Infrared Asphalt repairs leaves more than 90% less carbon footprint in our environment as compared to the conventional removal and replace method.
Is Infrared restoration only good for small areas?
No. Infrared can be used economically on large patches and trenches as well. This is achieved by using multiple heats in succession. The larger the machine the more cost effective it will be.
Can Infrared be used to correct a sub-base problem?
No. Infrared addresses the asphalt course or the roadway only. Nothing short of excavating and making repairs to the sub-base will correct this problem. Infrared restoration is still the most effective repair to the asphalt once the sub-base problem is corrected.
My driveway has sunk in a couple places. Can infrared fix this?
Settlement is very common. Infrared repair is the best solution for this scenario as long as the sub-base (the course under the asphalt) has stopped settling.
Does infrared repair and reclaiming change the characteristics of the pavement?
Very slightly. Results from lab tests that we have received indicate no differences in physical properties or characteristics of the pavement that was tested. Please keep in mind that pavement characteristics change from geographic location to location. Remember, true infrared is a ray and does not depend on excessive amounts of heat to accomplish its task.
Infrared and conventional repair are similar in the respect that you only achieve good results from taking the time and proper steps to insure a quality job. This includes preparation, proper luteing, and correct compaction. If any of these elements are missing then the end result will suffer. We feel that infrared excels in the areas of application, seasonable usage, and the permanence of the repairs.
Will infrared penetrate through multiple lifts?
YES, if done in steps. If you had a single course of asphalt 3 inches thick, the rays will penetrate through the entire course. If you have a 1″ overlay on top of that 3″ course, the rays will penetrate only the overlay, or one coarse at a time. The solution is to rake back the softened course, exposing the next course to be heated. The rays then penetrate the exposed course. Utilizing the proper steps, you can achieve full depth penetration. Of course, in some instances, full depth is not needed nor called for. In the case of many potholes the multiple layers will be exposed to the infrared rays already.
Will infrared penetrate through water?
NO, infrared rays are unable to penetrate standing water such as you might find in a bird bath. Any standing pools of water should be swept away prior to heating otherwise the asphalt underneath will not be heated. Moisture or dampness will have no effect on penetration.
Can I do repairs in the winter?
Yes. Repairs can be done year round in the coldest of temperatures. The outside temperatures will not affect your ability to have a seamless repair but will lengthen the time it takes to heat the asphalt to the full depth of the repair.
Is Infrared restoration permanent?
Yes. A correctly installed Infrared repair will restore the damaged area to the condition and useful life of the pavement around the repair. If there is pavement deterioration in the surrounding area it could eventually effect the restoration over time.
How long does it take?
Typical Repairs can be done in 20 minutes or less.
Is Infrared restoration too expensive?
No, Infrared restoration is much more cost effective than traditional full depth patching and mill and pave methods. Consider the savings in manpower, time, machinery and materials by not having to cutout, remove, replace, transport and dispose of large quantities of asphalt. In addition the end result is a neat, clean, seamless patch that is thermally bonded to the surrounding asphalt.
How soon after a repair can you drive over it?
Once the repaired surface has returned close to normal surface temperature. This is dependent on the original surface material and inclement weather, but even in poor conditions is usually no longer than 30 minutes.