Driveway Repair Services for the Central Coast

Asphalt patching and repair include services that restore a damaged driveway before it needs a complete replacement.

Patching is suitable for localized damage, like isolated cracks or sections of crumbled asphalt. For widespread problems like aging asphalt or drainage issues, you need asphalt repair.

Driveway damage doesn’t go away on its own. If you leave potholes unrepaired, they’ll continue to grow exponentially until you have no driveway, and they’ve become a safety risk for pedestrians and deep enough to do severe damage to your vehicle. Unless you want your driveway damage to worsen, you must hire a skilled team to repair it promptly.

Driveway repair is generally relatively quick. Pothole repair takes about 4-6 hours, while crack filling takes 2-3 hours.

No. We use hot mix asphalt from local quarries in Santa Cruz County.

• Stay Safe: If there are visible signs of damage, such as cracked pavement, foundation damage, or obvious signs of shifting soil, avoid entering the affected areas entirely. Nothing matters more than keeping you and your family safe. If your home’s utilities are impacted, only turn off the power if you can do so safely before contacting the utility company.
• Document the Damage: Once you’ve identified the dangerous parts of your property, document as much as you can. Take clear photos of areas where retaining walls are leaning, the ground is shifting, or driveways are cracked. Detailed documentation helps protect you during the insurance process and creates a clear starting point for restoration professionals.
• Get Help Right Away: Property damage continues to worsen, even after the storm stops. Betz Works will get to your property right away, secure the area, and start working with your insurance company to get repairs underway. These repairs include cleaning up mudslides, preventing future slides, repaving driveways, and more. Depending on the type of storm damage that you’re dealing with, you may also need to consult with an arborist, a roofer, a general contractor, and more. If any utilities were damaged, notify the utility company as quickly as possible.

• Mudslides and Landslides: Atmospheric rivers, which form when long, narrow corridors in the atmosphere transport excessive moisture, can bring heavy rainfall to our area. Extended periods of heavy rainfall saturate the soil under and around your home, destabilizing it and leading to mudslides or landslides, which can compromise your home’s stability, damage underground utilities, destroy driveways, and block access.
• Retaining Wall Failures: If you live in one of the many hillside neighborhoods along the Central Coast, such as San Luis Obispo or Monterey, you probably have a retaining wall somewhere on your property. Unfortunately, when the ground under or directly behind those walls becomes saturated, it places added stress on the wall, quickly causing it to bow or crack. Those problems can quickly devolve into the wall failing completely.
• Washed-Out Driveways and Private Roads: A washed-out driveway or private road can make it virtually impossible to get to your property. Unfortunately, many of the problems with these parts of your property start beneath the surface, meaning that there could be damage that you cannot see. Gravel, base material, and soil erosion under the pavement make it unsafe to drive or park, even if the surface still looks stable.
• Drainage Failures: One of the most important parts of your property is the drainage system that carries water away. Culverts, ditches, and other drainage channels can quickly become overwhelmed, especially if the soil becomes saturated. Gravel, mud, and other debris fill these drainage paths, making it impossible for water to safely move away from your home and driveway.
• Debris and Tree Damage: The beautiful trees that line many of the hills along the Central Coast are a lovely sight and can help provide soil stability. However, uprooted trees can do irreparable damage to your home and wreak havoc on fences and retaining walls.
• Slope Movement and Soil Instability: In many instances, slope damage occurs long before you see the signs of it. For example, if the soil under your driveway starts to shift, it can take months for the driveway to crack. Signs of an unstable slope include visible cracks in the ground or pavement, leaning fences and trees, new water seeps, and more. If you notice any of the early warning signs of an unstable slope, let Betz Works perform slope stabilization.

When asphalt is properly poured and sealed, it’s less likely to develop cracks. However, any asphalt surface can crack under certain conditions.

Here are the most common causes of asphalt cracking:

• Water damage
• Tree roots extending under the pavement surface
• Improper installation
• Leaking oil from vehicles
• Sun damage
• Extreme changes in temperature
• Winter freeze and thaw cycles
• Normal aging and wear and tear

Crack sealing provides many benefits for your driveway, roadway, or parking lot, including:

• Prevents further damage: When untreated, pavement cracks can worsen until they turn into dangerous potholes or sinkholes. While 75% of unsealed cracks turn into potholes within three years, only 1% of sealed cracks do.
• Extends pavement’s lifespan: Crack sealing can add at least three to five years to your pavement’s lifespan. If applied properly, high-quality asphalt crack sealer can last for 10 years or even longer.
• Cost-effective: Crack sealing is far less expensive than fully replacing and resealing your driveway. The cost of crack sealing depends on the size of the project, the type of sealant you use, and whether you complete the job yourself or hire a professional. On average, crack sealing costs around $1 per linear foot.
• Environmentally friendly: Crack sealing uses 13 to 38 times less energy than hot mix paving. It can also be completed with recycled materials, making it a more sustainable solution.

Early fall is the best time to complete a crack sealing project.

Unsealed cracks can widen and worsen in the winter, so it’s best to seal them up before this happens.

Spring can be a good time to seal asphalt cracks, too.

Because weather conditions are mild in spring and fall, the cracks won’t be fully open or fully closed. This will help you seal them properly so that they can withstand the harsh temperatures in summer and winter.

1. Route the Cracks

Asphalt cracks sometimes need to be routed, which involves grinding a channel along the length of the crack.

This creates a smooth and uniform space so that the sealant can spread evenly and fill the crack all the way to the bottom.

Generally, cracks up to 1 inch in width should be routed.

If the pavement is heavily cracked or distressed, however, routing may cause more damage.

2. Clean the Surface

Before applying sealant, you also need to remove dirt, grass, and other debris from the cracks. This allows the sealant to properly adhere to the pavement.

You can use compressed air to clean out the asphalt cracks.

3. Select the Sealant

There is a wide variety of sealants on the market that all have different properties.

Stiffer sealants may be better for driveways or parking lots. Flexible sealants are often used for roadways.

Climate is another consideration. If you live in a cooler region, you may need to use a flexible sealant to accommodate the movement of the pavement with the changing temperatures.

4. Gather Your Materials

To properly seal cracks in your asphalt, you need some specialized equipment.

First, you’ll need a melter to heat the asphalt to the correct temperature.

Melters come in different sizes and use different heating systems, so the right option for you depends on the size of the project and the type of sealant you’ll use.

You should also obtain a hose and a wand to apply the sealant to the pavement. You may need a variety of wand tips so that you can properly apply the sealant to cracks of differing widths or angles.

It’s helpful to have a squeegee to level out the sealant after applying it, too.

5. Heat the Sealant

When you’re ready to start filling the cracks, heat the sealant in the melter to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Most types of sealant need to be heated to 380 to 410 degrees Fahrenheit.

If the sealant is too cool, it won’t adhere properly to the asphalt. If it’s too hot, it may degrade and lose its effectiveness.

Continue to monitor the temperature of the sealant as you complete the project.

6. Fill the Cracks

There are several different techniques for applying sealant to asphalt cracks. Two of the most commonly used methods are flush fill and overband.

Flush filling involves applying the sealant so that it’s flush with the pavement.

With the overband technique, the sealant fills the crack and forms a wider band over the top of the crack. This method is typically used when there’s deterioration on the edges of a crack.

Follow the instructions from the sealant’s manufacturer when applying the material.

Some manufacturers recommend you partially fill the crack with sealant, let it cool, and then finish filling it. Others suggest you apply the sealant all at once.

7. Let the Sealant Cure

Exposing the newly sealed pavement to traffic too early could affect the results of the project.

Check the manufacturer’s instructions to find out how long the sealant needs to cure.

Note: If your driveway is in need of only minor repairs, you could take on a DIY crack sealing project. However, proper crack sealing that will last for years requires the use of specialized equipment, such as a melter and router. Renting this equipment for a DIY project can be costly. It’s usually best to hire a professional for crack sealing because they have the right equipment and materials to deliver high-quality results. A paving expert can recommend the right type of sealant for your driveway and will follow best practices to ensure the sealant adheres correctly to the asphalt.

Crack filling is the application of filler into asphalt cracks to reduce water damage. It extends the lifespan of the pavement by one or two seasons, and it’s a budget-friendly repair option.

However, the crack filler will separate from the asphalt if the pavement moves, leaving the surface vulnerable to damage.

Therefore, it’s only recommended for cracks that experience little movement.

Crack sealing is a much longer-lasting repair. It’s more flexible and will continue to adhere to the asphalt even as the temperature changes and the pavement moves.