Summer is hard on asphalt in two ways: sun and heat speed up the gradual aging that stiffens the binder holding the pavement together, and high heat temporarily softens the surface so it scuffs and dents more easily. In Connecticut, a hot July is followed months later by freeze–thaw cycles and road salt, so any cracks that open up in summer tend to get much worse over the winter. Here is what summer does to asphalt and what you can do about it.
Oxidation and Aging
Asphalt binder is a petroleum product, and exposure to oxygen, sunlight, and heat gradually changes its chemistry. Over the years it becomes stiffer and more brittle. That aging is more than a matter of oils evaporating, and it continues slowly throughout the pavement's life. You can see the effects: a driveway fades from deep black to gray, and the surface starts to look dry and rough, with loose stone showing. Brittle asphalt doesn't flex as well with temperature changes or vehicle weight, so it cracks more easily. All asphalt ages this way over time, and constant sun and heat exposure can speed it up. Our guide to asphalt deterioration covers the other causes that work alongside it.
Cracking
Asphalt expands as it heats up on a summer afternoon and contracts as it cools at night or during a sudden thunderstorm. Over many cycles, that movement, combined with aging, can open up cracks. Cracking is most common in older pavement, but it can appear early for other reasons, such as weak support underneath, pavement that is too thin for its loads, or a lack of maintenance. The real damage often comes later: water gets into the cracks, can weaken the base underneath where it reaches susceptible material, and in a Connecticut winter freezes and expands, pushing the cracks wider. That's why we recommend filling or sealing suitable cracks before the weather turns cold.
Raveling
Raveling is when the surface starts to come apart, with stones loosening and the top layer wearing away. It happens when the binder can no longer hold the aggregate together, for example because the asphalt has aged and become brittle, water has worked into the surface, or the pavement wasn't compacted properly when it was installed. Once raveling starts, the surface holds more water, which can lead to more cracking, potholes, and eventually base damage. Left alone, a raveling driveway is often headed for repair or resurfacing rather than simple maintenance.
Softening, Scuffing, and Tracking
On a hot, sunny day, a dark asphalt surface gets much hotter than the air around it, because black pavement absorbs most of the sunlight that hits it. When it's that hot, the surface softens. Minor surface scuffing can occur under tight turning, particularly in hot conditions. Deep indentations, repeated deformation, loose material, or coating pickup should be reported so their cause can be assessed. It matters whether a mark is in the asphalt itself or only in a sealer coating, and how deep, widespread, and persistent it is. A few habits help on the hottest afternoons:
- Avoid turning the steering wheel while the car is stopped.
- For kickstands, ladders, trailer tongues, and other concentrated loads, ask about suitable load-spreading supports.
- For vehicle jacks and jack stands, follow the equipment manufacturer's instructions and use a surface capable of safely supporting the load (one jack-stand manual, for example, calls for a hard, level surface). A board does not make soft asphalt suitable for supporting a vehicle.
- Keep heavy dumpsters and moving containers off the driveway unless your contractor confirms it can carry them; boards spread a concentrated load, but they don't make a pavement suitable for a load it wasn't built for.
- Take care with new and older driveways alike: asphalt doesn't reach a point where it stops being sensitive to heat, and tight turns and concentrated loads can mark it in hot weather even after its first year.
Preventive Measures
You can't stop the sun from aging asphalt, but you can slow its effects on the surface. A sealcoat puts a sacrificial layer between the sun and the pavement. We generally recommend resealing a driveway every two to three years, depending on its condition and the sealer used; on a new driveway, our usual practice is to wait at least 90 days after paving. Reaching that minimum doesn't by itself mean the driveway needs sealing; the pavement's condition and the sealer manufacturer's instructions decide. Sealcoat is a surface treatment; it doesn't restore structural strength or make pavement fuel-proof. Ask us about driveway sealcoating for your surface.
Timing depends on conditions rather than a particular month: the sealer has temperature and dry-weather requirements, and the product's instructions set them. Many Connecticut homeowners schedule sealing in late summer or early fall, and our guide on late-summer and early-fall sealcoating covers what to check. Fill suitable cracks before you seal, keep water draining off and away from the pavement, and fix small problems while they're still small.
Is your driveway faded, cracked, or crumbling after a hot summer? Contact Maisano Brothers Inc. to request a free estimate and we'll tell you whether it needs sealcoating, crack repair, or something more.
