The concept of infrared repair in layman’s terms is the process of heating up a repair area using infrared wavelengths to a temperature of 350˚F in order to rake, lute, and compact the repair area leaving a seamless and thermally bonded transition between the repair area and the surrounding asphalt.
Standard heating times will be 7-10 minutes for an inch to 1 ½” of penetration. Heating time will be dependent on how clean the repair area is, the age of the asphalt, and the outside ambient temperature. After the area is heated up, the rest of the repair should only take about 10-12 minutes. So a good rule to go by is an infrared repair in total will take 15-20 minutes.
The repair is frequently 20+% less costly than removal scopes and involves considerably less down-time or impact on the property.
All year long! Infrared repair is a repair method that can be implemented all year round – from the heat and humidity of the Pittsburgh summer sun to our freezing cold winter, this method of asphalt repair is always viable. Infrared repairs can be used when it is too cold for hot mix alone, which also boosts its cost-effectiveness. Typically asphalt repair costs often rise in the winter due to the increased amount of machinery needed to keep materials at the correct temperature.
Due to the heat penetration of infrared rays, asphalt can be repaired and reclaimed without risk of burning, scaling, or separating the asphalt from the aggregate itself. Mixing the existing asphalt with new material results in a seamless repair, preventing moisture damage by eliminating the possibility of joints for water to seep into.