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All parking lots have potholes and other areas where the pavement is deteriorating and needs patching. But to successfully offer patching services you need to outfit your crew properly.

Types of patching

The most common and most accepted repair approach is probably the traditional remove-and-replace patches. This can be used for almost any type of pavement defect but is an essential approach when the pavement has experienced damage, such as water intrusion, beneath the surface.

Infrared patching, unlike remove-and-replace patching, requires no removal of existing asphalt. Infrared equipment can be used to repair any type of pavement defect – except those areas that require full-depth repairs.

Infrared equipment

The most popular sizes for an infrared heater are a 4 ft. x 4 ft. unit and a 6 ft. x 8 ft. unit, says Bryan Burke, vice president of production with KM International. Both sized units can be used anywhere when it comes to patching – parking lots, driveways, and roads – Burke says.

The overall equipment investment to set up an infrared patching crew is minimal when compared to the equipment necessary for full depth remove-and-replace patching, Burke adds.