Concrete Safe Snow Melt

Not only do these in slab snow melting systems eliminate plowing backbreaking shoveling and icy spills they prevent potential damage to the concrete caused by snow removal equipment and corrosive de icers.

Concrete safe snow melt.

If you ve been using rock salt or potassium chloride this is probably why your concrete driveway is showing signs of deterioration. The following are considered the safest of these products for concrete. It only melts snow and ice effectively in temperatures down to 5 degrees fahrenheit 15c. For regions where the temperatures don t usually drop very far below freezing sodium chloride can be used without any risk of damages.

Being a hygroscopic compound it absorbs moisture and thereafter starts dissolving. The dissolving process is exothermic and generates heat of up to 60 degrees celsius. This heat quickly melts the ice and snow thus turning it into water. Concrete manufacturers recommend using only sand and a shovel on new concrete.

Experts agree that calcium chloride is the best ice melt for concrete surfaces. This process generates heat resulting in melting ice and snow. Safe for concrete ice melt snow removal equipment the home depot store finder. It is safe to use around plants and less corrosive than most other concrete deicers.

Some homeowners and businesses are keeping their exterior concrete flatwork surfaces maintenance free and safe year round by installing heated driveways with ice and snow melting systems. While potassium chloride is good for the environment it damages the concrete and typically costs 3 5 times more. Good ice melt choices for concrete are calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. Magnesium chloride is hygroscopic like calcium chloride it dissolves very quickly forming a brine solution melting snow and ice very quickly.

Before you can determine if an ice melting product is safe for your concrete surfaces you need to be aware of the typical weather patterns in your area. Safe snow melt products for concrete snow melt products typically work by attracting water and creating brine a combination of salt and water. Another good de icer is cma or calcium magnesium acetate which doesn t wash away as easily as the others and has a lower environmental impact. There are several ice melt products that are safe for concrete the most popular and most effective being calcium chloride magnesium chloride and calcium magnesium acetate.

Nor will ice melter manufacturers provide any warranties when used on new concrete.