Atlantic Sweeping & Cleaning is an industry leader for pavement maintenance services in the Washington D.C. metro and surrounding areas. The typical D.C. metro area driver spends about $400 per year making repairs to tires, rims, auto glass and paint caused by hazardous pavement conditions-in particular potholes and loose aggregates.

Our crews are trained and equipped to quickly and efficiently resolve the most stubborn pavement repairs-especially potholes. Here are some tips on preventing potholes from forming in the first place and what to do when you see them forming.

If you’ve already waited for this winter weather to begin to make pavement fixes this will often mean a simple fill in repair which is inherently temporary. A temporary repair is is less than ideal. The desire for more permanent solutions begs a very important question: What steps can I take to help prevent potholes from forming? As with any type of maintenance, a strategy of prevention and early intervention works best. Taking steps to catch problems early and taking steps to make repairs will prevent small cracks from turning into large potholes.

A pothole is formed when a crack in the pavement occurs and water penetrates it. Then the constant expansion and contraction of the water due to winter weather fluctuations in temperature causes the pavement to break under constant vehicle traffic. Taking the time to seal cracks in the summer and fall will usually prevent further cracks and potholes from appearing in winter and spring.

It is common to see paved surfaces and parking lots that will have many cracks and will need extensive maintenance. This procedure is referred to as crack filling and seal coating. The costs to repair potholes and pothole damage are sizable. It is a much more cost-effective approach to fill the cracks and seal the pavement. Once the pavement is sealed, water will no longer penetrate into soil through cracked areas. This greatly reduces the chance of potholes forming-which is the best possible outcome.

If you have a pothole problem in your parking lot, or are looking to prevent a pothole issue from ocurring, contact the pavement experts at Atlantic Sweeping & Cleaning.