Winter in Minnesota means a lot of things: cold temperatures, freeze-thaw cycles, snow and rain, the use of rock salt for ice control, snow plowing, and more. Unfortunately, each of these can wreak havoc on your asphalt parking lot, road, walkway, etc. 

When you see potholes pop or cracks form, your first instinct might be to have these problems repaired right away. After all, it’s safer to fill a pothole than to lose a tire to it, right? However, paving and repairing asphalt in the winter poses some risks and challenges. Bituminous Roadways explains these cold-weather paving risks, how winter affects asphalt, and how to care for your asphalt surface come spring. 

Cold-Weather Paving Risks

While cold-weather paving is not impossible, it does pose risks and requires careful planning before the project is executed. One of the primary risks is whether laborers can work in the cold temperatures without risking their health. Subzero temperatures with wind chill can make it dangerous for anyone to be outside.  

Some additional risks to paving in the winter include: 

  • Additional stress on paving equipment in freezing temperatures

  • Asphalt can cool too quickly and leave weak spots

  • Cold weather impacts on density and safety

  • Problems with maintaining proper drainage 

In general, around 50 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal temperature for paving asphalt. Waiting until a warm day or week can greatly improve the quality of your new asphalt installation. 

How Winter Affects Asphalt

Winter can severely affect asphalt in various ways, leaving you with problematic parking lots, walkways, and more. Let’s take a look at some of the ways the cold weather and precipitation of winter can cause problems for your asphalt surface. 

Freeze-Thaw Cycle

Freeze-thaw cycles happen often during the winter. As temperatures increase, the snow and ice melt, then a drop in temperature causes the water to freeze. Water can seep into cracks in asphalt, and when temperatures drop, it freezes and expands. Existing cracks and voids become worse, leading to larger cracks and potholes. 

Contraction and Shrinkage

Cold temperatures can make asphalt hard and brittle, leading to shrinkage and contraction. This causes the pavement to pull apart and create additional stress—potholes, cracks, and heaving become visible. Compounded with freeze-thaw cycles and other winter problems, your asphalt surface can suffer. 

Rock Salt & Chemicals

In Minnesota, rock salt and other de-icing chemicals are used to thaw ice on walking surfaces. These products can damage your asphalt by making the binder more brittle, leading to cracks and holes. 

Snowplow Damage

Snowplows can tear up already weakened asphalt, particularly around existing potholes. The plows can cause greater damage and more water intrusion. 

Signs of Winter Asphalt Damage

Winter can cause all kinds of damage to your asphalt. Some of the most common signs of damage to your asphalt include: 

  • Cracks

  • Potholes

  • Raveling

  • Shrinking or sunken spots

  • Unevenness, buckling, or upheaval

  • Rutting or depressions

  • Joint issues

Spring Asphalt Maintenance and Repair

The best way to handle asphalt and winter months is through proactive preparation and spring repairs and maintenance. Proactive programs for asphalt maintenance can help extend the life of your surface and save money over time!

Before the winter months arrive, you can have potholes and cracks patched, find better snow storage areas for plowing, and have an annual pavement assessment. 

Come spring, it’s essential to get on our books for crack sealing, patching, overlays, and restriping. As soon as the weather warms up, Bituminous Roadways can perform these repairs and maintenance tasks. 

Choose Bituminous Roadways: Professional Asphalt Pavers in Minnesota

At Bituminous Roadways, we take every opportunity to help customers keep their asphalt in good condition during the winter. We watch the forecasts, use creative scheduling, and provide recommendations for base-only repairs. Or, we’ll postpone until the weather clears up to protect the quality and integrity of your asphalt. 

Save yourself the headache of asphalt repairs and schedule a consultation with us today!