Maintaining the proper temperature of hot mix asphalt is a significant challenge for road maintenance crews. The material starts cooling the second it gets dumped into the truck bed at the asphalt plant.
It then becomes a race against time to ensure workers can get to the job site(s) before the asphalt cools down to a hard, unworkable pile. At the end of the work shift, someone must drive back to the asphalt plant and pay for disposal.
This issue of leftover hardened asphalt is one of the many reasons why having proper pothole repair equipment is so crucial in road maintenance work.
Read on to learn more about how hot asphalt needs to be laid.
Importance of Asphalt Temperature
Laying asphalt at the correct temperature is crucial for the durability and longevity of the repair. It must be hot enough to mold, compact, and bond with the pothole. The patch will be weak and prone to popping out within days or weeks if it is too cold. This causes repeated work and frustration for road crews and taxpayers.
The ideal range for laying hot mix is between 275 and 290 degrees. The material becomes flexible at this temperature and forms a strong bond with the surface. Although asphalt is loaded at the plant at nearly 300 degrees or more, it begins to cool when exposed to the environment.
The surrounding air temperature does not play a significant role in hot mix. Asphalt will start cooling immediately if not insulated, regardless of the air temperature. Colder weather causes faster cooling, but this issue occurs even in hotter climates.
Insulated trucks and equipment are necessary to prevent rapid cooling during transport and handling. When properly insulated, hot mix maintains its temperature better than cold mix. This makes it suitable for various weather conditions, ensuring long-lasting patches.
The Challenges Road Maintenance Crews Face
Road crews struggle to keep asphalt at the optimal temperature for an entire shift without a hot box. Maintaining the high temperature for quality repairs becomes nearly impossible without proper equipment.
Delays, weather, and traffic can cause setbacks that all revolve around the condition of the rapidly cooling asphalt. As work crews do their best to patch holes with sub-optimal asphalt, they unwittingly create more potholes that will reemerge shortly thereafter.
Falcon Hot Boxes Make It Easy to Manage Asphalt Temperatures
Our hotboxes use a patented heat management system to ensure the perfect asphalt temperature every time. They can maintain the optimal temperature for up to 48 hours (72 hours with an optional dual burner). This allows work crews to focus on the task at hand instead and make informed scheduling decisions.
Falcon Hot Boxes offer other benefits, including:
Recycling
One of the biggest benefits of owning a Falcon Hot Box is the ability to recycle used asphalt chunks and millings you pick up around the job site. An optional 2nd burner allows your crews to save money and resources by reusing old asphalt in the field.
Efficient Temperature Control
We make our hotboxes simple to operate. Workers can set the machine to the temperature that they need. The hotbox will keep the asphalt within 10 degrees of that set point. The burner shuts off and turns back automatically to maintain that temperature.
Safety Benefits
Falcon hotboxes keep your road crews safe when patching busy streets and highways. We placed the controls and equipment on the curbside of the machine for easy and safe access.
Improved Operations
Using a Falcon Hot Box can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of road maintenance operations. Crews can take on more jobs in a single shift, reducing the need for repeat repairs and saving time and resources. This enhances productivity and overall job satisfaction.
Custom Solutions
We offer a range of custom solutions to meet specific customer requirements. Our lineup of hot boxes includes models designed for small municipalities, large cities, and everything in between. We also offer many equipment options to ensure a hotbox tailored to your operations.
Achieve Optimal Asphalt Temperatures with Falcon Hot Boxes
Maintaining the ideal asphalt temperature is vital for high-quality pothole repairs. Proper temperature management leads to durable and long-lasting patches. Falcon’s Hot Boxes provides a reliable solution for maintaining the correct asphalt temperature.
Falcon is an expert in asphalt temperature management. Our hot boxes ensure that road crews can perform efficient and effective repairs. Explore our entire product line to learn how we can help improve your road maintenance.
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