Does the dust produced by your gravel roads leave your vehicles and property a dirty mess? Is dust production ruining the use of your outdoor space? There’s no need to suffer from the annoying disturbance dusty gravel roads cause, as SISCU has the ultimate Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride dust solutions. Read more to learn about dust control for gravel roads with these dust suppressants.
Why do Gravel Roads Accumulate Dust?
Dust is formed when loose soil or dirt particles escape from the ground surface and fly into the air. This occurs more frequently if the road surface contains lots of unadhered particles, which is the case in gravel or dirt roads. When the road surface is dry, dust and debris can easily escape and swirl around in the surrounding air space.
Why Does Dust Need to be Controlled?
An excess amount of dust can lead to harmful effects for people, property, and vehicles that come into contact with it. Dust can get into the lungs and cause difficulty breathing and aggressive coughing. Dust can also irritate people’s eyes and lead to reduced visibility. This is dangerous for drivers, construction workers, or even people walking across the affected gravel road. Vehicles can be negatively impacted by dust as it permeates small crevices and leads to structural damage and potential malfunctions. Properties can also become damaged from dust particles, especially as they build up over time. Utilizing a dust control solution and treating your gravel road is a simple and easy way to prevent any damages or injuries caused by dust.
How do you Control Dust?
The best way to control excessive dust production is by keeping your gravel road damp. This effectively traps any loose soil or dirt particles and prevents them from leaving the ground and flying into the air. The most effective way to keep a road surface damp for long periods of time is with a chloride product such as Calcium Chloride or Magnesium Chloride. If you are looking for a more natural solution, you can also apply water to the road or reduce vehicle traffic and speed across the area. Learn more about each option below.
Calcium Chloride
Calcium Chloride is the most effective and strongest dust control solution. This hygroscopic salt absorbs moisture from the air and utilizes it to keep the ground surface damp. Calcium Chloride has a chloride concentration between 83-90%, making it the most concentrated and effective product on the market compared to other options. One application of Calcium Chloride on your gravel road will prevent dust for longer. With this being said, the high chloride concentrations of this product can lead to environmental damages, as excess product flows into surrounding plant and animal life. You should be sure to minimize waste and apply the product carefully to the affected area to minimize surrounding damage. Calcium Chloride may not be the dust control solution for you if your gravel roads receive a lot of animal traffic or are located right next to large gardens. For a more environmentally friendly product option, you’ll want to explore Magnesium Chloride.
Magnesium Chloride
Magnesium Chloride is another type of hygroscopic salt that absorbs moisture from the air to keep ground surfaces damp, however, it is slightly less concentrated than Calcium Chloride. The lower chloride concentration requires slightly more product to be applied to receive the same dust control results, however, Magnesium Chloride is the more eco-friendly option. Magnesium Chloride is less toxic and irritating to people and animals and does not cause harmful effects on surrounding vegetation. If you are looking for a dust control solution on a gravel road that experiences frequent pedestrian and animal traffic, Magnesium Chloride is a great way to protect their health and stop dust.
Alternative Dust Control Methods
Keep the Ground Damp with Water
If you are looking for a short-term fix or don’t want to utilize dust control chemical products, frequently watering your gravel road will produce similar effects and minimize dust production. With this being said, dust is only minimized when the road surface is damp, and water evaporates quickly, so this treatment method will require consistent watering. This is only realistic if you have access to a watering truck and the crew necessary for frequent applications.
Reduce Vehicle Speed and Traffic
Another way to minimize excessive dust production is by reducing vehicle traffic and speed over the gravel road. When there is a high volume of vehicles driving over a gravel or dirt road, the movement will lead to more dirt particles escaping into the air at a faster rate. If you remove some of that traffic, there will be slightly less dust produced. Similarly, lowering the speed limit over these roads can also reduce some of the movement and dust produced by them, however, these solutions may not be practical if your gravel road is necessary for frequent travel.
How to Apply Dust Control for Gravel Roads
Dust control chloride products are best applied professionally with equipment such as sprayer trucks or handheld spreaders. If you are looking to hire a professional dust control crew, check out Rasevic Companies in the Mid-Atlantic area. If you do not have access to a professional dust control team, you’ll want to utilize Magnesium Chloride and proper protective equipment, as this product is less toxic and irritating to the skin. Be sure to spread the product evenly to reduce the risk of missing a spot on the gravel. One application of a chloride product will leave your gravel road dust-free for weeks, no matter the weather.
Dust Control for Gravel Roads with SISCU
If you are looking for the best dust control product for gravel roads, SISCU offers a wide range of Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride products to help you minimize dust production with one simple and easy solution. Stop dust today and take back your outdoor spaces with dust control products from SISCU! Fill out the form below to get a free quote on your next dust suppressant today.