Are you looking to treat icy road conditions this winter, but aren’t sure what ice melt product to choose? There are a wide variety of ice melt chemicals available to treat ice, including Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Rock Salt, Liquid Brine, and Calcium Magnesium Acetate, and each product offers different advantages and disadvantages. Before deciding on an ice melt product, continue reading to learn about some different factors to consider of each product, including cost, effectiveness, and road damaging aspects.
Cost of Ice Melt Chemicals
Cost is an important factor to consider, especially if you have a lot of road surfaces to treat, ultimately resulting in more product use. The most expensive ice melt products tend to be chloride products due to their high chloride concentrations that make them so effective at melting ice. If you are looking for a more affordable option, you should consider purchasing ice melt in bulk. A bulk purchase can cut down on costs and allow you to treat all your road services at an affordable rate. The most common product sold in bulk is typically Rock Salt. Rock Salt has a very low price point and can be purchased in large quantities. While this product is not as effective at melting ice as a chloride product and it can also be damaging to pavement and concrete, it will help protect your roads and melt ice. Another way to cut down on ice melt costs is to properly store your excess product at the end of the season so that it can be re-used next winter. The best way to store any ice melt product is in a temperature-controlled environment. If an ice melt is exposed to direct sunlight or humidity, these conditions could spark a reaction in the product that would make it less effective when applied to melt ice. Properly sealing any open bags and storing them away from weather conditions is the best way to ensure they last for multiple seasons. If you do not have access to a shed or warehouse facility and need to store your product outside, covering it carefully with a tarp will help protect against the weather and damage. Cost is an important factor in purchasing ice melt, and buying in bulk and storing excess product is a great way to lower costs.
Effectiveness of Ice Melt Chemicals
Another important factor to consider is the strength of an ice melt product. More highly concentrated products such as Calcium Chloride will melt ice faster and will require less product to be used to do so. While chloride products may be more expensive upfront, since they require less product to be effective, one bag may last you longer than less expensive options. Additionally, the time saved by a stronger product should also be a factor to take into consideration. One application of a stronger chloride product has the potential to last for multiple storms, which would also save time and money on an application.
Eco-Friendly
Ice Melt chemicals can be harmful to the surrounding environment because they are chemicals. One way to avoid these negative effects is to make sure you are very precise in your application and do not apply excess product that could run off the pavement into grass or water spaces. Another way to avoid environmental consequences is to choose the most eco-friendly ice melt option, Magnesium Chloride. The lower chloride concentrations in this product make it less harmful to the environment and a solid option to choose if your icy pavement borders plants and animals. It is important to note that if you treating pavement that receives a high volume of dog traffic, Magnesium Chloride is the safest option to avoid irritation of their paws. Environmental effects are an important factor to consider when you decide what ice melt product to choose.
Road Damage
Another element to consider is the protection of your pavement and roads. Some ice melt chemicals can be damaging to the concrete underneath the ice, and this could lead to further road maintenance costs and risks. Rock Salt is a product that can lead to damages and is only recommended for surfaces that are already damaged or not at risk. If you are looking for an ice melt that won’t ruin roads, Chloride products such as Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride are the best option.
Ice Melt Chemicals from SISCU
Once you consider the cost, effectiveness, eco-friendliness, and damage potential of ice melt products and are ready to purchase one to treat your icy roads, SISCU offers the best quality ice melt chemicals to melt ice quickly and efficiently. To check out a full list of products, click this link and get your ice melt chemicals from SISCU today!