Stop Small Cracks Before They Become Potholes
Most potholes begin as a crack left open long enough for water to reach the base, where every passing tire pumps the softened material loose. Imperial Paving Services repairs that kind of damage on driveways, parking lots, and private roads throughout Sylmar, CA, Lake View Terrace, Sunland-Tujunga, and Porter Ranch. Our asphalt repair and patching work includes pothole repair, saw-cut patching, crack sealing, infrared repair, utility trench restoration, and fixes for sunken areas that hold water.
Lasting repairs depend on removing every bit of failed material instead of covering it up. We cut clean edges, dig out the weakened base, compact fresh stone where needed, and fill with hot mix rolled flush to the surrounding pavement. Those habits come from 10 years of fixing surfaces that other patches failed to hold. You get honest advice on timing. Use our contact page to send photos of the damage and request a repair estimate.
Our Asphalt Repair & Patching Services
Pothole Repair
Open holes get squared off with a saw, cleaned of loose debris, and coated with tack before fresh hot mix goes in. Compacting the fill in layers leaves a level surface that drivers roll over without a bump or a splash.
Remove-and-Replace Patching
Alligator cracking and soft spots usually mean the base underneath has failed. These areas are cut out to full depth, rebuilt with compacted aggregate when needed, and repaved, solving the cause rather than hiding the symptom under a thin layer.
Crack Sealing
Hot-applied rubberized sealant fills cleaned and routed cracks, flexing as pavement expands and contracts with daily temperature swings. Keeping water out of the base this way is one of the least expensive steps for extending the life of any pavement.
Infrared Asphalt Repair
Heaters soften the existing surface around a defect so new material can be raked in and compacted with it. The result is a seamless bond with no cold joints, which works especially well for small depressions and raised seams.
Utility Trench Restoration
Narrow cuts left behind by plumbing, electrical, and gas work often sink as backfill settles. Trenches are recompacted, filled with stone base, and capped with hot mix that sits level with the adjoining pavement on both sides of the cut.
Sunken Area and Settlement Repair
Low spots that collect water after every rain slowly soften the pavement around them. Depressions are leveled with a tack coat and fresh hot mix, or excavated when soft soil lies beneath, so runoff flows away instead of pooling.
Benefits of Asphalt Repair & Patching
Spending That Stays Small
Fixing a failing patch of pavement today costs a fraction of resurfacing a whole driveway or lot later. Targeted repairs stretch your maintenance budget, keep the rest of the surface in service for years, and buy time to plan larger projects calmly.
Safer Ground Underfoot
Potholes and broken edges catch heels, wheels, and walkers when they least expect it. Filling them promptly lowers the chance of injuries, vehicle damage, and complaints from residents, customers, or tenants who rely on the pavement every single day.
Damage Contained at the Source
Water spreads beneath pavement like a slow, unseen leak, widening the damaged area month after month. Sealing and patching stop that spread early, protecting the healthy asphalt around each repair, and the base beneath it, from the same eventual failure.
Smoother Rides and Fewer Tire Hits
Drivers notice every jolt as they enter a property, and so do their passengers. Level patches remove the bumps and dips that rattle suspensions, bend rims, and push drivers to swerve around problem spots into other lanes of traffic.
Better Results From Future Sealcoat
Sealer cannot bridge open cracks or hold onto crumbling asphalt for long. A surface repaired first gives the next sealcoat a sound, continuous base to bond with, so the protective layer lasts longer, wears evenly, and looks uniform from edge to edge.
Minimal Downtime
Most patches open to traffic shortly after the hot mix cools and hardens. Work can be sequenced section by section, so driveways stay usable and businesses keep entrances open while crews handle the damaged areas one at a time.
Fix It Once, and Drive Over It for Years
A patch should be something you forget about, not a spot you watch spread every season. Imperial Paving Services handles asphalt repairs across Sylmar, CA, by cutting out the problem fully and rebuilding it with materials that bond to the pavement around it. If you are unsure whether cracks need attention now or can wait until next year, an on-site look usually settles the question quickly. Snap a few clear photos of the worst areas, add any history you know about the pavement and past repairs, and send everything through our contact page for a repair plan ranked by urgency.
What does alligator cracking mean?
Interconnected cracks forming small blocks, like reptile skin, usually signal that the base beneath has weakened. Imperial Paving Services removes and rebuilds these areas in Sylmar, CA, because sealing alone cannot restore the structural support that daily traffic needs.
What is the difference between cold-patch and hot-mix repairs?
Cold patch comes ready to use from a bag or bucket and works as a temporary fix, often loosening within months. Hot mix is heated, placed, and compacted, creating a dense, bonded repair that lasts far longer under steady traffic.
Why do some asphalt patches fail within a year?
Patches fail when crews skip the cleanup, tack coat, or compaction, or when the failed base stays in place. Our crew at Imperial Paving Services cuts back to sound material on repairs across Sylmar, CA, so each patch has solid support.
Should a crack be sealed or filled?
Working cracks that open and close with temperature need flexible, hot-applied sealant, often after routing. Wider, stable cracks that barely move can be filled with less elastic material. Choosing correctly decides whether the repair lasts several years or a single season.
How deep does an asphalt patch need to go?
Depth depends on the damage. Surface defects may need only an inch or two removed, while base failures require excavation through the asphalt and into the stone below, sometimes 8 inches or more, before the area is rebuilt.
Will a patch match the color of the surrounding asphalt?
New hot mix looks darker than aged pavement at first, then gradually lightens as the sun oxidizes it. A fresh coat of sealer over the whole surface is the quickest way to make repairs visually disappear into the pavement around them.
What causes ruts and shallow depressions in asphalt?
Ruts form where heavy wheels repeatedly travel the same path over a weak base or an unstable mix. Shallow birdbaths often trace back to poor compaction or settling soil. Both hold water, which speeds further damage if left alone.
What causes asphalt edges to crumble?
Edges without side support break down as tires roll off them and soil erodes underneath. Irrigation soaking the shoulder makes it worse. Rebuilding the edge with compacted base and a thicker, tapered border keeps it from breaking away again.
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FAQ's
What does alligator cracking mean?
Interconnected cracks forming small blocks, like reptile skin, usually signal that the base beneath has weakened. Imperial Paving Services removes and rebuilds these areas in Sylmar, CA, because sealing alone cannot restore the structural support that daily traffic needs.
What is the difference between cold-patch and hot-mix repairs?
Cold patch comes ready to use from a bag or bucket and works as a temporary fix, often loosening within months. Hot mix is heated, placed, and compacted, creating a dense, bonded repair that lasts far longer under steady traffic.
Why do some asphalt patches fail within a year?
Patches fail when crews skip the cleanup, tack coat, or compaction, or when the failed base stays in place. Our crew at Imperial Paving Services cuts back to sound material on repairs across Sylmar, CA, so each patch has solid support.
Should a crack be sealed or filled?
Working cracks that open and close with temperature need flexible, hot-applied sealant, often after routing. Wider, stable cracks that barely move can be filled with less elastic material. Choosing correctly decides whether the repair lasts several years or a single season.
How deep does an asphalt patch need to go?
Depth depends on the damage. Surface defects may need only an inch or two removed, while base failures require excavation through the asphalt and into the stone below, sometimes 8 inches or more, before the area is rebuilt.
Will a patch match the color of the surrounding asphalt?
New hot mix looks darker than aged pavement at first, then gradually lightens as the sun oxidizes it. A fresh coat of sealer over the whole surface is the quickest way to make repairs visually disappear into the pavement around them.
What causes ruts and shallow depressions in asphalt?
Ruts form where heavy wheels repeatedly travel the same path over a weak base or an unstable mix. Shallow birdbaths often trace back to poor compaction or settling soil. Both hold water, which speeds further damage if left alone.
What causes asphalt edges to crumble?
Edges without side support break down as tires roll off them and soil erodes underneath. Irrigation soaking the shoulder makes it worse. Rebuilding the edge with compacted base and a thicker, tapered border keeps it from breaking away again.