Street Maintenance Questions and Answers

The sealcoat is a thin coating to protect the surface of the street. It does not add its own texture. Therefore, the smooth surface of the crack seal is a visibly different texture than the asphalt surface. A slurry seal would hide the texture of the cracks; however, slurry seal changes the contour of the street. Using slurry seal too often can result in an earlier (and expensive) full street replacement date.

The contractor is required to obtain a City of Phoenix permit to close the sidewalks while sealing the entrances. When those permits have been received, the entrances will be sealcoated.

When our community was built in the 1970s the streets were designated as private streets. This allows your HOA to implement traffic and parking management measures. It also requires your HOA to maintain the asphalt, curbs, and gutters.

Crack seal is applied during colder months so that the asphalt will “shrink” making the cracks larger. The larger the crack the more sealant can be applied.

A sealcoat will be applied in March, 2024. The sealcoat adheres best at when temperatures that start around 70º and increase throughout the afternoon.

As our asphalt ages, the extreme elements in Arizona cause the blacktop to dry out, lose flexibility and surface strength. We have all seen the fragile gray or oxidized surfaces in local parking lots and roads. Not only do these surfaces look bad, but the surface itself becomes less able to flex and adequately distribute the weight of vehicles which can cause extremely expensive cracking and other damage. Maintaining the surface of our roadway saves us money by extending its life and giving it the fresh look of new asphalt.

Exposure to UV rays, water, and oil can cause the asphalt to dry out, fade, crack, and crumble over time. Pavement cracking can occur as a single crack or as a series of cracks in seemingly random locations. Cracks can occur because of temperature variations, settlement of the base material, or reflection of previously overlaid cracks. Cracks in the pavement allow water to flow through the asphalt down to the base which deteriorates the asphalt and weakens the subgrade.

Step 1 – Crack sealing. Asphalt crack sealing is a crucial step in the maintenance of our asphalt surface, because it helps to prevent larger maintenance projects down the road. Even the smallest cracks can easily turn into larger cracks, craters, and dangerous potholes.

Step 2 – Sealcoating. A sealcoat is a protective coating made from specially formulated oils and paving material that, when applied, soaks into the asphalt, restoring a deep, shiny, black appearance, replenishing the oils and binder that have broken down or dried up, and filling in small gaps in the asphalt for a smoother appearance. The sealcoat also forms a protective barrier to prevent future damage caused by sun, water, and oil. 

1. Prolongs the longevity of our pavement by closing cracks that could lead to water infiltration.
2. Prevents small cracks from becoming larger, irreparable cracks, thus delaying major repair efforts that drain HOA resources.
3. Allows prompt re-opening to traffic.
4. Provides cost-effective maintenance for the most expensive capital asset our HOA owns.

1. Breathes New Life into Faded Asphalt – When asphalt is first laid, it is a deep black color that looks fresh and new. Oxidization is a natural process caused by the sun’s rays that can dry out bitumen, leaving our streets brittle and much more susceptible to cracks and damage. Oxidization will also turn our streets a worn-out grey color. Sealcoating restores that rich, glossy black color to the pavement, returning it to a fresh, new appearance which can improve the look of our property and even increase its value.
2. Prevents Pavement from Becoming Brittle – One of the greatest features of asphalt is its flexible nature. When vehicles drive over an asphalt street, the surface will bend slightly to accommodate the weight without cracking. Unfortunately, pavement that is not regularly sealcoated and has become brittle due to oxidization will not retain this useful property, again leaving the street more open to damage. As motor oil and gasoline leak onto the pavement, not only will it stain, but it also reacts with the petroleum binder and causes rapid deterioration. On top of that, water and UV rays dry out the asphalt. Soon, the asphalt that was once flexible enough to handle temperature fluctuations and the pressure of traffic becomes brittle and prone to cracking and crumbling under pressure. Applying a sealcoat blocks the damaging, oxidizing substances and keeps the binder pliant and flexible, allowing it to stay in good condition for a longer period.
3. Sealcoating Prevents Potholes – Once the pavement becomes compromised due to oxidization and oil exposure, deterioration begins quickly. Small cracks form in the brittle pavement, and, if left untreated and unrepaired, they will quickly turn into unsightly, dangerous potholes. Sealcoating fills in any newly emerging cracks in our streets, preventing water from entering and wreaking havoc from below the surface. Because sealcoating prevents oxidation and cracks, potholes are much less likely to form, keeping our roads safe and attractive longer.
4. Sealcoating is Cost-Effective – Having fresh asphalt laid down is expensive, costing an average between $1.50 and $2.00 a square foot. Sealcoating costs between $0.15 and $0.25 per square foot. By investing in sealcoating every few years, we are minimizing the need for expensive repairs and extending the life of our pavement.
5. Saves us time and money – Applying essential sealcoating protects our investment by extending the life of our streets and providing attractive streets for potentially decades to come. Once our asphalt is sealed, we must maintain it. While it is not a frequent task, a sealcoat should be applied about every three years.

Your HOA board is scheduling pavement maintenance every three years depending upon an evaluation of the condition of the asphalt.