Avoid a Slippery Slope: Use Ice Melt to Make Your Pavement Safer
Oh yeah. You’ve just taken on the latest snowfall, bringing it down to size with your best winter weather friend – your snowblower. But after you’re done admiring your clear pavement, clean lines and the fact that you didn’t throw any snow into your neighbor’s driveway, there’s one more step to achieve sheer perfection – and most importantly – safety: deicing.
Even after the most meticulous snow removal, a thin layer of dangerous ice can still develop, and does often during especially cold weather. How to deal with it? To prevent a “snow fall” that’s anything but pretty (and potentially costly should someone get injured), there are a number of ice melt products to keep your sidewalk, walkways, steps and driveway safe for everyone to navigate. Here are the most common types of ice melts and what to consider:
What is Sodium Chloride?
Commonly used for road salt, and it’s sometimes referred to as “that blue stuff that melts ice”, you’ve seen this stuff everywhere. It’s the least expensive salt ice melt option and you can find it just about anywhere, but there are a few things to keep in mind before you apply it all over your property. First, the chemical that helps the ice melt is also very corrosive, and can damage grass and plants – plus burns animals’ paws and can make them sick if they lick their paws. Second, because of its extra course texture, it can be difficult to get good coverage throughout your paved areas. Finally, it doesn’t work well when temperatures dip below 15F, so if it gets extra frigid where you live, your deicing efforts could go to waste.
What is Calcium Chloride?
The white salt, or calcium chloride, is a popular product, though it’s a bit more expensive. But there are some advantages that may outweigh a small increase in cost. Calcium chloride is fast acting – creating heat as soon as it hits moisture, and is still effective in very cold temperatures. Plus, its pellet-like texture and color tint makes it easier to spread evenly. But be aware: Calcium chloride can also do a number on pets’ paws and insides.
Pet Safe/Chloride-Free/Urea
No chloride here to affect pet paws, so you’ll see urea touted as the pet friendly ice melt – a definite benefit. But because urea is also used as fertilizer, it can be corrosive, so be careful to avoid grass and plants when you’re applying it. You might also notice a slightly higher price tag.
Acetates
This ice melt product is really friendly – to pets and the environment. It’s noncorrosive, biodegradable and safe for plants and animals. The catch? The price may be a bit high if you have a lot of pavement to deice.
What else to know about ice melts? Here are the top tips:
- More is not better. Overuse increases the chances of runoff onto vegetation – and to more “tracking,” or bringing it inside your home with the bottom of your shoes. Be sure to only use the quantity recommended on the ice melt’s package.
- Apply deicer with a fertilizer spreader instead of a shovel or scoop. This will help you get even coverage around your property.
- Ice melt products can damage floors and carpets, so wipe those feet before you walk about the house.
