As cracks surface in asphalt it’s important to seal or fill them as quickly as possible. Cracks in pavement will otherwise lead to problems by allowing water inside the roadway base and subgrade, leading to breaking up of the pavement and potholes.
Depending on the extent of cracks, they may or may not be good candidates for filling or sealing. The only cracks that should not be filled or sealed include if there’s failure in the subsurface, or cracking is not the result of water problems (for instance, if the subgrade is sandy soil.)
Cracks that measure in width between 0.2 and 0.75-inches as well as cracks that show 0.1-inch movement should be sealed. Cracks caused by extensive block or alligator cracking may be better repaired with surface seals or partial depth patching.
