A driveway is exposed to the elements and prone to forming potholes. Notably, damages start as tiny fragmentations of asphalt, which expand as you drive over affected spots. Consequently, it is essential to repair driveway potholes early since it leads to extensive damages. Different methods are used to repair driveway potholes, the cold patch technique being one method. It refers to a process where damaged sections are filled with pre-mixed asphalt. Most homeowners prefer cold patch pothole repair for the following reasons.

Faster Repairs 

One of the key benefits of cold patch asphalt repairs is speed. The cold patch technique is quicker and ideal for households strapped for time compared to hot patch repairs. For example, you can complete repairing an average-sized pothole in a day using the cold patch method. The reason is that a cold patch is pre-mixed, allowing you to use it directly on-site. In contrast, you must heat the asphalt to mend a pothole in hot patch repairs. The best part is that you only have to park your car on the street for a few hours before repairs are complete.

No Special Tools Necessary

Repairing the pothole on your driveway requires specific tools. However, the types of devices you need depend on the repair technique. For instance, you need a hot patch heater and an asphalt heater truck for hot patch repairs. Unfortunately, such equipment is expensive and difficult to source. Besides, only a qualified driver can operate a hot patch heater. On the other hand, cold patch asphalt repair only requires essential tools that the average property owner can hire, including a pothole tamper, markers, and an asphalt shovel. You can buy the tools from a local equipment store as well.

No Primers Are Required

Why would you repair driveway potholes if you know the new asphalt will not stand the test of time? Notably, hot patch repairs require applying a primer to a pothole before pouring the heated asphalt. Although a primer allows hot asphalt to bind with pothole aggregate, the preparation process involves a bit of time. Conversely, cold patching is different because you do not need to apply a primer before pouring asphalt. It is attributed to the fact that cold patch materials are pre-mixed with primers, making them ready for instant application. However, you must compact cold patch asphalt to achieve a perfect binding and extended service life of your driveway.