Asphalt Repair in Union City, CA

Asphalt repair covers the problems that show up between repavings: potholes, cracks, broken edges, settled areas and utility cuts. Most of these start the same way, with water getting into the pavement and softening what is underneath. A repair that only fills the hole often fails at the next rain. A repair that removes the damaged material and rebuilds it properly can last as long as the pavement around it.

Types of repair

• Crack sealing: cracks cleaned and filled with hot-applied sealant to keep water out.
• Hot patch: damaged surface removed and replaced with hot-mix asphalt.
• Saw-cut, full-depth repair: edges cut square, failed asphalt and base removed, base rebuilt and repaved. The most durable fix for a failed area.
• Infrared repair: the existing surface is heated and reworked with new material, leaving no cold joint. Suits surface damage.
• Edge repair: crumbling edges rebuilt and supported so they stop breaking off.

Cracks near the Hayward Fault

In parts of the East Bay, some cracks are caused by the ground itself. The Hayward Fault creeps slowly, and that movement shows up in asphalt as rows of staggered cracks and in offset curbs and sidewalks. Those cracks will keep opening. The practical answer is regular crack sealing to keep water out, not a patch that pretends the movement is not there. We tell you when we think a crack pattern follows ground movement.

Cracks from clay

Expansive clay soils, which Union City's own geology study documents, cause long cracks along edges and across driveways as the ground swells and shrinks. Sealing them before the rains limits how much water reaches the clay and slows the cycle.

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Timing

Hot-mix asphalt is available and compacts best in warm weather, but potholes and trip hazards cannot always wait. Crack sealing and small repairs can be done during dry winter weeks, and larger saw-cut repairs are best scheduled for the dry season.

Minimums

Small jobs carry mobilization costs. HomeGuide notes that minimum call-out fees of $100 to $250 are common for asphalt repairs, so it is worth grouping several repairs into one visit. We price each repair separately in the quote.

Choosing the right repair

A single crack gets sealed. A raveled or slightly damaged area may suit an infrared patch. A pothole with soft base underneath needs a saw-cut, full-depth repair. Matching the repair to the cause is what makes it last, and we explain on the quote which method we chose for each spot and why.