Crack Sealing in Lehi, UT

Crack sealing is the least expensive thing you can do to make asphalt last longer, and in Lehi's climate it matters more than almost anything else. January nights average about 16 degrees, and sunny winter days melt snow along driveways and lot edges. That meltwater runs into open cracks, freezes after dark, and pushes them wider. A season of that turns a hairline crack into a hole. Sealing cracks before the first hard freeze keeps that water out.

How we seal cracks

We clean each crack with compressed air or a wire brush to remove dirt, weeds and loose material. Wider cracks may be routed to create a clean channel. Then we fill them with hot-applied rubberized sealant that bonds to the sides and stays flexible as the pavement expands in summer and contracts in winter.

Which cracks to seal

• Single cracks along joints and edges
• Shrinkage and thermal cracks running across the pavement
• Cracks along settled trenches or patches

A web of joined cracks, the pattern called alligator cracking, is a sign the base underneath has given out. Sealing them slows water but does not fix the cause. Those areas need patching.

Timing

Cracks seal best when they are dry and moderately open. Late summer and fall are ideal in Utah County, after the hottest weather and before the first freeze. We also seal in spring once temperatures rise.

Why the cracks form in the first place

Asphalt shrinks and expands with temperature, and Utah's swings are large: hot summer afternoons and single-digit winter nights. Over time, the surface also dries out from UV exposure and becomes less flexible. Both lead to cracking. Some cracking is normal and expected. The goal is not to prevent every crack but to close each one before water gets into it.

Annual crack-seal programs

For HOAs, churches and commercial properties, an annual walk-through each fall catches new cracks early. Sealing a few hundred feet of crack each year costs far less than patching potholes in spring, and it keeps the pavement eligible for an overlay rather than a full rebuild when the time comes.

Crack sealing and sealcoat

If you plan to sealcoat, crack sealing comes first. Sealcoat alone cannot bridge or fill cracks. Doing both in the same visit saves a trip and leaves a finished surface.