Even though we’ve had a mild winter, the cold weather has an impact on us all, whether living in urban or rural areas. Icy walk ways and roads are a part of our daily lives. Yet, in recent weeks cold weather hasn’t necessarily been the issue, but the rain has raised concerns over safety on sidewalks and roads.
There are many ice melting products on the market today. Most are granular products and can vary dramatically in price and effectiveness. Some things to consider when purchasing any of the many products out there include air and ground temperature as well as the surface to be treated.
Air temperature is not as important as temperature of the ground when trying to make a walk way safe. If the weatherman says it will be 30 degrees today but it hasn’t gotten above 0 in a week, an ice-melter rated at 30 degrees probably won’t be very effective.
An ice melter begins working when the solid granule material dissolves in water, creating brine. If the ground temperature is too cold, some products are not able to make the conversion so they can’t be effective. The air temperature that is reported on the news is almost never the same as the surface and that is the temperature that counts.
The primary goal of an ice melter is to prevent adhesion of snow and ice to pavement surfaces, and this task is significantly simplified if the ice melter is spread before a snow event and it can react to the falling snow. General rules for ingredient choice are that Sodium Chloride and Urea are most effective at high temperatures and ice melters that contain Magnesium Chloride function in the subzero range.
Yet, how safe are ice melters for your pets? Many of us want to use a de-icer that is safe for our family and four-legged friends as well. The most common deicer, sodium chloride when dry is a white powder, which can be a problem for pets that ingest the salt while cleaning their paws. Yet, calcium chloride is another common de-icing agent that does not produce a residue, so is a little safer for pets. Urea, another option, is also safe for pets. A general rule of thumb is “less is more,” which in turn will be safe for your family and pets.
And as with all products prudent use is best use. Be sure to follow instructions on the bag for optimum spread and use rates. Remember, your goal is keep the snow from adhering to the surface and that doesn’t take much. Three great name brand products we offer are Ice Age, Sizzle and Lightning.
A full selection of products is available at our Webster Road Service Center or check out www.conservfs.com to contact a Turf Specialist near you for additional information.
