The Top 7 Fall Paving Myths Albany Homeowners Still Believe (And What’s Actually True)
Fall is the best time for driveway paving in Albany — yet many homeowners still believe outdated myths. Here are the top 7 fall paving myths and the real truth from local experts.
🍁 The Capital Region’s Fall Paving Season… and All the Myths That Come With It
Every fall, homeowners across Albany, Colonie, Schenectady, Guilderland, and Rotterdam start thinking about driveway repairs — but they also fall victim to a ton of misinformation.
Some myths come from old-school contractors.
Some from out-of-town pavers.
Some just keep getting repeated until people assume they’re true.
Today, we’re breaking down the 7 biggest fall paving myths we hear EVERY year — and giving you the truth based on 50 years of experience paving in the Capital Region.
Let’s get into it.
MYTH #1: “You can’t pave in the fall — it’s too cold.”
Truth: Fall is actually the BEST time to pave in Albany.
This one refuses to die.
Here’s the reality:
Fall is peak season for paving in the Capital Region.
Not only is asphalt still hot enough to work with — it cures beautifully in the brisk fall air.
Fall paving benefits:
Asphalt cools at the perfect rate for compaction
Ground is still warm
Humidity is lower
Plants are fully operational
Less rainfall compared to spring
October is often safer to pave than humid summer days.
If you’re thinking of paving, fall is the moment — and one of the last chances before freeze-thaw cycles begin.
MYTH #2: “All paving companies use the same asphalt.”
Truth: Not even close.
Asphalt quality varies dramatically.
Egan Paving uses:
DOT-certified hot mix
Region-specific formulations
High-performance binders
Proper gravel base blends for clay-heavy soil
Cheaper contractors often use:
Recycled asphalt (too much of it)
Soft mixes
Cheap aggregates
Low-binder “budget” blends
Material not suited for Upstate winters
In Albany, Colonie, and Schenectady, the wrong asphalt mix starts cracking within the FIRST winter.
MYTH #3: “A driveway is just asphalt — thickness doesn’t matter.”
Truth: Thickness is EVERYTHING.
This is the biggest scam used by traveling paving crews.
Your driveway should have:
6–8 inches of compacted crushed stone base
3 inches of binder
2 inches of topcoat
Cheap contractors?
→ 1.5–2 inches TOTAL.
→ No base.
→ No compaction.
→ No drainage plan.
You get what looks like a driveway… until it snows.
If someone won’t specify thickness in writing, walk away.
MYTH #4: “Sealcoating your driveway right after paving protects it.”
Truth: No — sealcoating too early RUINS new asphalt.
We hear this misconception constantly.
Sealcoating a fresh driveway:
blocks oils from curing
traps moisture
creates surface peeling
weakens the asphalt
causes early cracking
Correct rule:
Wait 6–12 months, then seal.
If anyone offers “fresh asphalt + sealcoat package,” that’s a massive red flag.
MYTH #5: “Fall rain ruins asphalt.”
Truth: Light rain is manageable — the base matters WAY more.
Paving crews monitor radar every hour.
A sprinkle or mist?
Not ideal, but manageable.
What actually ruins a paving job:
poor compaction
weak base
thin asphalt
groundwater issues
paving too late in the day in cold temps
Fall rain doesn’t kill the job — bad contractors do.
MYTH #6: “Any contractor can handle clay-heavy Capital Region soil.”
Truth: Albany & Colonie’s soil is different — and notorious.
The Capital Region has:
high clay content
moisture-rich soil
uneven freezing
pockets of soft earth
major drainage issues
You can’t treat Albany soil like Florida soil.
You can’t treat Colonie soil like Texas soil.
Local experience matters more here than almost anywhere else.
That’s why out-of-state crews fail so often — the soil eats their driveways alive within a year.
MYTH #7: “Fall paving is more expensive because it’s the end of the season.”
Truth: Fall is usually CHEAPER — until the freeze hits.
Contractors want to finish their season strong and keep crews booked.
Fall pricing is typically:
LOWER than spring
LOWER than early summer
LOWER than winter
VERY competitive
Right now, many local companies (including us) offer:
🍁 Fall specials
🍁 End-of-season deals
🍁 Last-call discounts
Because once the freeze comes?
Plants shut down
Fuel surcharges go up
Materials get scarce
Scheduling becomes limited
Fall = best pricing.
Winter = highest pricing.
Spring = long waitlists.
🏡 Bonus Myth Albany Homeowners Still Believe:
“If the top looks smooth, the driveway is good.”
Truth: Bad paving looks good for 48 hours.
Cheap driveways ALWAYS look smooth at first.
Then winter arrives.
Freeze–thaw cycles split it open.
Water infiltrates seams.
Thin asphalt sinks.
Base crumbles.
A good driveway is built from the bottom up — not the top down.
🧰 How Albany Homeowners Can Protect Themselves This Fall
1. Get three estimates — but compare BUILD, not price.
Thickness is more important than cost.
2. Ask where the crew came from.
If it’s not Albany, Colonie, or Schenectady… beware.
3. Always demand a written contract.
If they can’t provide one, that is the red flag.
4. Look for marked trucks.
Unmarked = risk.
5. Book BEFORE the freeze.
Prices rise — and quality drops — after October.
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📞 Ready to Demolish the Myths & Get the Truth?
When you want a driveway that survives Albany winters, you need a local crew who understands the soil, the weather, and the reality of paving in upstate New York.
That’s Egan Paving.
Family-owned.
Built local.
50 years strong.
👉 Schedule your fall estimate today:
https://www.eganpaving.net/contact