What Infrared Asphalt Repair Is and When It Suits a Commercial Lot

Infrared asphalt repair uses a heater to soften damaged pavement, which a crew then reworks, tops up with fresh mix and compacts so the patch blends into the surrounding asphalt without a seam. It works on shallow surface defects such as seams, small depressions and utility cuts. It cannot fix a failed base or wide alligator cracking, which need cut-and-patch or resurfacing.

What infrared asphalt repair is, step by step

Infrared repair reheats the pavement that is already there instead of cutting it out. A typical visit runs like this:

1. Inspect and mark the area. The crew checks that the damage is in the surface layer and the base underneath is sound.
2. Clean the area. Loose stone, debris and standing water are cleared away.
3. Heat the pavement. A gas-fired infrared heater is set over the patch and warms the asphalt slowly until it softens. Too much heat scorches the binder and leaves the asphalt brittle, so heating is gradual and checked.
4. Rework the softened asphalt. The crew rakes it loose and mixes it.
5. Add material where needed. Fresh hot mix and a rejuvenating binder are worked in to replace what the old asphalt lost.
6. Compact and finish. The patch is rolled or plate-compacted flush with the surrounding surface, with the edges blended into the old asphalt.

The key difference from a standard patch is the edge. A cut-and-patch repair leaves a joint around the perimeter. A blended infrared repair has no hard seam for water to find. That is why the method suits Ontario lots, where water in a seam freezes, lifts and re-opens the repair. The Region of Waterloo explains the same cycle for roads: water gets into small cracks, freezes and expands, and traffic then breaks the weakened pavement into a hole.

Does infrared asphalt repair work, and how long does it last?

Yes, when the problem sits in the surface layer. A properly done infrared or hot-mix repair makes a lasting patch, while cold patch is a temporary fix. The word that matters is cause. A repair lasts only if the thing that caused the damage is gone.

Infrared works well where pavement is sound but the surface has opened up: a seam that has split, a shallow birdbath, a settled utility cut or a small ravelled patch. It does not work where water has softened the base or traffic loading has failed the structure. A surface repair over a failing base looks fine for a short time, and then the damage returns.

How long it lasts depends on the cause, the quality of the heating and compaction, the weather on the day and the traffic on the spot. Nobody can promise a number. Ask the contractor what the repair is expected to do, and what they will do if it fails early.

Which defects infrared suits and which it cannot fix

Heat also damages anything on the surface. Painted lines, stencils and thermoplastic markings inside the patch are lost, so plan to restripe them afterwards. If failure is widespread, look at when an overlay is appropriate rather than patching your way through the lot.

Infrared vs cut-and-patch vs cold patch: choose X if

Cut-and-patch is the method that rebuilds what is under the surface. Infrared is faster and neater when nothing under the surface needs rebuilding. Cold patch buys time and should be followed by a lasting repair when the weather allows. The asphalt patching methods guide and the commercial pothole repair guide go deeper on each.

What drives the cost, and Ontario temperature limits

Published prices vary too widely to be useful, so use the drivers. Many contractors set a minimum visit charge, and quotes differ in what they include. Compare these items:

• The size and number of repair areas. Scattered small defects often suit infrared, because there is little to remove or haul away. Large failed areas often suit cut-and-patch.
• Depth of the damage and whether the base must be rebuilt.
• Equipment mobilization, material and disposal.
• Traffic control, phasing and after-hours work.
• Restriping, curb or catch basin work around the patch.

Weather limits the method too. Infrared heats the asphalt, so it is less dependent on air temperature than a cold-applied product, but cold, wind and damp slow the heating. Frozen or saturated base, rain and snow on the surface all rule out a lasting repair. Contractors set their own minimum conditions, so ask for theirs. In Waterloo Region, the realistic window for lasting repairs is spring thaw to late fall, and cold patch covers the gaps. See why installation temperature matters.

Infrared asphalt repair near me: what to ask a contractor

Not every paving or maintenance contractor offers infrared. Before you book, ask:

• Do they own and operate the heater, or is it subcontracted?
• How do they decide a spot suits infrared? Ask them to point out spots they would not treat this way.
• What material is added: fresh hot mix, rejuvenating binder, both?
• How is the patch compacted and how are the edges treated?
• What are their minimum weather conditions?
• How will lines, stencils and accessible markings be restored?
• When can traffic use the patch?

Ask about the cracks around the patch too. National Research Council Canada notes that cracks let water, brine and debris into the pavement structure, so open cracks beside a new patch should be sealed afterwards. D&D Commercial Services does pothole and patch repair for commercial lots in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph, and every job starts with a free written estimate that lists the scope, materials, timing and access plan, so you can compare methods line by line. See the parking lot maintenance and asphalt repair page.

Infrared asphalt repair questions owners ask

Does infrared asphalt repair work?

Yes, on shallow surface defects over a sound base, such as split seams, small depressions and utility cuts. The heated edges blend into the surrounding asphalt, so there is no hard seam for water to enter. It does not repair a failed base or wide alligator cracking. A lasting repair depends on fixing the cause.

What is hot asphalt repair?

Hot asphalt repair means any repair made with heated asphalt rather than cold patch. It covers cut-and-patch with new hot mix, and infrared repair, where the existing pavement is reheated and reworked. Both can make a lasting patch. Cold patch is a temporary fix until a hot repair can be done.

Can infrared repair fix alligator cracking or a failing base?

No. Alligator cracking and soft or pumping areas mean the pavement structure has failed, and a surface repair will not last over it. These areas need cut-and-patch with base repair, or resurfacing if failure is widespread. A contractor should be willing to point out which spots infrared will not suit.

How does asphalt repair work?

A good repair finds the cause first, usually water getting in, then removes or reworks the damaged material, repairs the base if it has failed, places and compacts new or reheated asphalt flush with the surface, and treats the edges. Methods differ, but the steps and the cause do not.

Devon Moore, Operations Lead Founder & Operations Lead — D&D Commercial Services

Devon Moore is the founder and Operations Lead at D&D Commercial Services, delivering professional commercial property maintenance across Waterloo Region.