Asphalt deterioration begins immediately. Even in standard conditions, significant deterioration can begin to take place after the first couple years. Around this time, asphalt starts to turn gray and begins cracking. Water seeps into the cracks, freezes, and thaws during the yearly cycle, causing larger cracks. The liquid asphalt binder starts to lose it’s water-resistance properties, and this is how water is able to penetrate the asphalt, causing it a great deal of wear and tear.