Lone Mountain Sign

How HA5 High Density Mineral Bond Saved this Arizona HOA $1.6 Million

Lone Mountain Community is located in Cave Creek, Arizona. The community spans a scenic area, features 794 single-family homes, and is carefully designed with approximately 1.77 million square feet of well-maintained roads that provide easy access to all areas.

The Problem

The community faced challenges around traditional seal coating methods — an approach that required frequent applications and became a time-consuming, daunting, and cumbersome annual project. Additionally, these methods failed to maintain the roads’ aesthetic appeal over time, leading to resident dissatisfaction and higher road maintenance costs.

The Solution

Rather than relying on traditional road preservation methods, the community chose HA5 High Density Mineral Bond because it provides a long-lasting and visually appealing solution to road maintenance. The approach also significantly lowered maintenance frequency and resulted in substantial financial savings for the community.

Breaking Free from Costly Seal Coating

Regardless of community size, most HOA presidents or board members prioritize saving on costs wherever possible. This is especially important for the Lone Mountain Community, which takes great pride in protecting its financial integrity. 

One of the biggest strains on the community’s budget was road maintenance. For years, the community relied on traditional seal coating methods to preserve its roads. While these treatments initially looked good, they quickly deteriorated, requiring frequent reapplications and failing to deliver long-term results.

Marcia Hahn, Lone Mountain HOA Board Member, said: “Seal coating looked great when it was first done, but it didn’t last very long from an aesthetic standpoint. Many times, some of the areas that we had seal coated, for whatever reason, had to be redone. It was disappointing because about three or four months after we had it completed, it looked like we hadn’t done anything to the roads at all.”

As costs piled up and the roads continued to show wear and tear, the community decided it was time to explore other options. That’s when it discovered HA5 High Density Mineral Bond.

What is HA5, and Why Was it a Good Fit for the Community?

HA5 is an asphalt preservation method designed to extend the lifespan of road surfaces. Unlike traditional road seals, HA5 is backed by a history of performance, offering long-term protection against the elements while maintaining the road’s appearance.

For Lone Mountain, the decision to try HA5 came after repeated frustrations with the performance of other road preservation products. While effective at first, the seal coating method quickly wore off, requiring constant upkeep. HA5 emerged as a promising solution as the community “projects [road maintenance] be anything we need to do for at least 7 to 10 years, which is great.”

Marcia’s enthusiasm highlights the importance of effective pavement preservation — it’s more than just an aesthetic consideration; it’s a financial one. Roads are one of the most significant assets for communities like Lone Mountain. Because of this, maintaining roads cost-effectively is essential to protecting property value and ensuring the community’s financial stability. Investing in long-term solutions like HA5 allows communities to avoid costly repairs and minimize the need for frequent maintenance.  

Additionally, without a well-thought-out strategy, the HOA would face escalating costs for seal coating and repaving. Over time, this put a strain on the community’s budget and resulted in higher fees for residents. With HA5, however, the HOA was able to make a smarter, more sustainable investment that improved the roads and ensured long-term cost savings.

A Look into the Financial Analysis and Projected Savings of HA5

“Before we did HA5, we did a financial analysis,” Marcia said. “We calculated that we saved our community about $1.6 million over 20 years because we didn’t have to do seal coating continually. There were other things [around road maintenance] that were no longer necessary.” Put simply, the community wanted to ensure the new approach was not only effective but also cost-efficient.

After consulting with an actuary (someone who specializes in reserve studies and long-term financial benefits), the savings were projected to help the HOA maintain financial integrity and keep resident fees stable. 

Many of these cost savings were a direct result of eliminating the struggles of traditional seal coating. While this method initially provided a smooth, black finish that improved the appearance of the neighborhood, it didn’t last long. Within just a few months, the roads started to show signs of wear, and, in some cases, the sealant would fade and crack—rendering the work ineffective.

“It really didn’t last long,” Marcia said. This cycle was not only frustrating for residents but also a drain on the community’s resources. HA5 significantly changed the game for the community in terms of aesthetics and cost.

HA5: A Long-Lasting Solution for the Lone Mountain Community

Switching to HA5 was a game-changer for the Lone Mountain Community. Since it was first applied in May 2022, the solution has transformed the neighborhood’s roads, providing long-lasting protection and a smooth, attractive finish that still looks nearly good as new, two years later. Unlike traditional seal coating that requires frequent reapplications and quickly fades, HA5 has held up remarkably well, with no additional maintenance expected for at least ten years.

The decision to invest in HA5 was not only a smart choice regarding road preservation but also made financial sense. The careful analysis done by the actuary projects the community will save around $1.6 million over the next 20 years, simply by eliminating the ongoing costs of seal coating and other road repairs. 

The successful implementation, supported by the expertise of Holbrook Asphalt, has increased resident satisfaction and helped preserve the HOA’s financial health. “Aesthetically, it looks great and the customer service and the partnership we had with Holbrook while we were going through the whole project was really exemplary,” Marcia said. “HA5 is well worth it to have it hold up so well.”

Interested in learning more about HA5? Contact Holbrook Asphalt to learn how HA5 can benefit your community. Or read additional case studies below.

Related Case Studies

The Saguaro Highlands Community in Scottsdale, AZ recognized that they needed to protect their asphalt. After doing their due diligence, they discovered HA5, a High Density Mineral Bond, that would allow them to extend the life of their asphalt much longer than a traditional seal coat.

Municipalities across the country turn to HA5 High Density Mineral Bond to extend the life of their asphalt assets. Hear why these public works professionals rely on HA5.

Advanced Reserve Solutions has been evaluating the financial health of HOAs and providing guidance through reserve studies for over 25 years. In this video Karl and Tom sat down with us to discuss their experience with HA5 and how they’ve seen it impact on the budgets of the communities that they prepared reserve studies for.