Many consumers wonder whether or not paving companies should be allowed to perform their work in the rain. However, in order to answer this misleading question, you must first decide what your definition of rain actually is. You see, there is a big difference between a rain shower or downpour, and a rain sprinkling.

Continue reading to learn what you need to know about paving asphalt in the rain, including what professional pavement companies deem incompatible weather for performing asphalt work.

The Rule of Paving in the Rain

A pavement job can continue without interruption in the case of an occasional, light sprinkling of rain. But if the rain is pouring, or even coming down consistently at a steady pace, paving work should stop immediately and be postponed. In fact, some states make it a point to include verbiage that basically says a paving contractor takes on the risk themselves if it starts to rain while driving to the job, and they continue with the project.

Furthermore, the type of surface that is being worked on also impacts whether or not it is safe to perform asphalt work during a steady sprinkle. For instance, if they are working with heavy gravel or aggregate that is loose and well-draining, a light sprinkle will not likely impact the quality of work, even if it is steady.

Oppositely, if they are performing a thin overlay, any steady rain will have a negative impact. For all asphalt pavement projects, it is vital to have a firm, unyielding base. However, rain can jeopardize the foundation of paving jobs, which can result in poor quality work, and even hazardous conditions.

Why Does Rain Negatively Impact Asphalt Work?

💧 Rain will cause the warm or hot asphalt mix to cool faster than it should, which results in poor compaction.

💧 Rain is a type of moisture, which can ultimately hinder the asphalt lifts from properly bonding together.

💧 If hot asphalt mix (HMA) comes into contact with rain, it will create steam, which is another type of moisture, and bad for asphalt paving.

What if it Starts Raining While Pavers are Working?

In the case that it starts to rain while the asphalt paving crews are performing their work, the project is not ruined, just delayed. Typically, companies will look at the weather report before scheduling any asphalt work; however, you cannot always predict the weather. When this situation happens, asphalt companies usually get everything covered in tarps, build a vertical-faced construction joint, appropriately discard all mix leftover in the hopper, and stay focused on not tracking around any muddy footprints or debris.

Asphalt Pavement Company in Indianapolis and Central Indiana

Call ACI Asphalt and Concrete at 317-549-1833 for commercial asphalt paving services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our licensed and qualified paving contractors provide several Indianapolis asphalt and concrete paving services, including pavement repair, sealcoating, road work, commercial paving, industrial paving, winter cold patching, and more. We are the industry veterans to trust for skilled craftsmanship and competitive prices! Request a free estimate, today.