This past winter was one of the harshest ones we’ve seen since the Snowpocalypse of 2010. With all of the bad weather we got coupled with the low temperatures, potholes took over most of the state (and mid-Atlantic region, for that matter). You may be wondering – why does a harsh winter cause worse potholes than normal? First thing’s first, you need to know how potholes form.
• Rainwater sinks into cracks into the asphalt. The asphalt and the components in it will then soak up the water.
• The water in the road freezes, causing it to expand, like ice cubes in an ice tray.
• The asphalt thaws out and cars continue to drive over it, causing the weakened asphalt to begin to crack and eventually create holes as the chunks of asphalt come loose.
Understanding how potholes form is pretty simple, but the damage that potholes cause can be catastrophic to your vehicle. It’s very important that you do your best to avoid potholes. They can cause alignment problems, wear on your tires, dents in the wheel rim, and low tire pressure, just to name a few things. You may also notice problems with your suspension due to the large amount of potholes in the area. Following are some ways to avoid potholes:
• Leave extra space between you and the vehicle in front of you. If you notice a pattern of slight swerving, make sure you check to see if the cars in front of you are avoiding potholes.
• If you can’t avoid a pothole, at least slow down before you hit it to avoid extra damage to your car.
• Be careful when driving over/through puddles as they could be concealing a particularly dangerous pothole.
If you’ve noticed cracks or potholes forming in your driveway/parking lot, you need to get those repaired ASAP for safety reasons. Spring is the best time to get your asphalt repaired in Anne Arundel County due to the temperatures.
If you have any questions about Potholes in Anne Arundel County or if you’re interested in installing asphalt, please contact Anne
Arundel County’s largest site-work contractor today by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website. You can also follow Reliable Contracting on Facebook and Twitter! Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.