Crack sealing assists in prolonging the life of paved roads and is a preventative measure. Cracks in the street are cleaned of debris and filled with a sealer. Sealing cracks prevents surface water from penetrating into the pavement foundation and the spread of cracks in the pavement. The first step in the process is use a machine called a router to clean all debris out of the existing cracks and make them a consistent width and depth. Routing of the cracks is following by blowing out the cracks with an air compressor to ensure that they are free of debris and dry. The final step is to apply hot rubberized joint sealant to the cracks. Contractors may apply a layer of paper or sand to the cracks to help reduce tracking of the joint sealant until it has cooled. Filling these cracks early helps to minimize the amount of water and debris that enters the subsurface causing potholes.
