Ice Ice Baby
MAINTENANCE
Selecting the Right Ice Melt for Your Property
By Ed Schell
We are in the dead of winter , and many properties are using ice melt products . Here are some thoughts that will hopefully help select the best ice melt product for your property .
Ice melt products do two things , provide traction , and melt ice . Any product will provide traction just by being spread on the surface . Coarse products tend to provide the most traction .
Sand can be an inexpensive and safe alternative to chemicals and should be considered for new concrete installations .
The temperature ratings on ice melt products indicate the temperature at which they will continue to interact with any moisture and will help with melting . Once the temperature is below the rating , the ice melt will only provide traction and reduced melting .
Products that contain calcium chloride generally have the lowest temperature rating . Calcium Chloride when in contact with moisture is
Problems with pets and landscape tend to escalate when products are overapplied , or when snow removal concentrates applied product into banks or piles . exothermic , meaning it creates heat when in contact with moisture . Calcium chloride as an additive to ice melt can help other chemicals be more effective by causing melting and allowing the other chemicals to interact with the moisture . Calcium Chloride based products can be very effective in reducing ice in problem areas . Calcium chloride tends to be the most expensive chemical in ice melt and does provide melting power . There are ice melt products that contain a colored dye ( typically green , blue , or orange ) to help with application and safety .
Pet and landscape friendly are important considerations for ice melt products . Many of the ice melt products contain chemicals that are “ safe ” when applied per the instructions . Problems with pets and landscape tend to escalate when products are overapplied , or when snow removal concentrates applied product into banks or piles . Remove excess ice melt from surfaces to avoid overexposure and tracking . It may sound odd , but many ice melt chemicals are present as food additives in small quantities .
Does Ice melt damage concrete or railings ? The quick answer is maybe . The technical term for concrete damage that people attribute to ice melt is spalling . One major cause of spalling is poorly laid concrete . Ice melt can escalate freezing / thawing cycles , which can accelerate spalling . Ice melt can also cause metals to oxidize . Ice melts are reactive and will react with ferrous metals . Many handrails , stair supports , and pool fences are ferrous metal . The best way to reduce any problems is to be sure the rails are well painted and to not
allow ice melt to come in contact with the metal . Easier said than done — right ?
Generally , the best advice with ice melt is to apply the product following the application guidelines on the container . Don ’ t over apply the product ( more may be a short-term remedy but can lead to other problems ), watch where piles and banks of snow are placed so they don ’ t allow accumulation of ice melt products on landscaping or near metal ( watch where the runoff accumulates ), and clean up excess product after each storm .
Ice Melt is a necessity for property maintenance and safety in markets that experience freezing weather and good management of the product can help reduce any risk with using the products .
Ed Schell is the Regional Sales Manager of Lowe ' s Pro Supply www . aamdhq . org FEBRUARY 2024 TRENDS | 21