How to Make Up To $1,500 per Day Sealing Asphalt Cracks

A heat lance is great tool to have, as well. "By injecting super-heated air into a crack, it blows out the dirt and debris and warms the pavement. A small, walk-behind sweeper would come in handy, as would a router or random crack saw to widen the crack.

"Most contractors make a living doing multiple jobs and they may already have many of these tools on hand," Dunn says.

If not, they may want to consider what Keizer-Morris bills as a one-man crack preparation tool. The Crack Jet is self-contained heat lance that dries and blows out cracks while etching their walls and surface. It weighs 160 lbs. (without the propane bottle), has an air output of 90 cfm, and air temperature of 2,800°F. He says the tool virtually eliminates the need for a back pack blower or other air compressor, routers, and wire wheels.

Of course, there's also the sealant to consider and a squeegee to smooth out the application. "It's pretty easy, adds Burke. "One individual applies the rubber sealant and the other bands across with a squeegee."

The speed of application is due in part to new technology and new sealants, which he says are designed to accommodate specific applications and temperature ranges. Cimline's Dunn agrees, noting that most sealants today set up quickly to give sealant less opportunity to bond with something other than the crack surface, e.g., a vehicle tire. To speed up the process, though, contractors can use spray material or tissue applied to the surface that minimize bonding.

Equipment and technique will facilitate any crack sealing job, but Burke, Manning and Dunn emphasize that safety comes first in all applications - driveways, parking lots, roads, or wherever pavement cracks are being sealed.