Sometimes, in the deicing world, many terms get combined into the same category. Such as, “all snow removal products are harmful to the road or the environment,” or if you’re in the snow & ice management business, “your products are filled with ice melt chemicals and are essentially dangerous and toxic.”
That’s a big misunderstanding within the industry, and there are many different types of deicer products out there. Some are not even for deicing but are actually used as a preventative measure before the ice comes down through anti-icing practices.
Suppose you’re looking for a supplier for your commercial snow management business, or you’re in charge of local municipality efforts in snow removal. In either case, it’s vital to ensure that you’re informed on exactly what these ice melt products are composed of. Including the potential risks, if any, and finally understanding the difference between rock salt and something like Calcium Chloride ComboTherm.
What is rock salt?
If you’re in the business as a rock salt or bulk salt supplier, this question constantly gets asked. Is it rocks that have lower freezing points that are combined with salt? Is it salt that’s chunky? Is it sodium chloride, i.e., table salt, that’s used in local commercial and government properties to reduce ice instead of seasoning food?
Rock salt is a great low-cost and simple solution to snow and ice management in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether it’s on the main highways to Washington DC through Baltimore or some rural areas found in Virginia, this needs to be a staple in any snow removal business. It’s primarily made of sodium chloride, and our offering has anti-caking agents called yellow prussiate soda to ensure that the rock salt stays fine and easily can be spread during the winter months.
In most cases, rock salt comes from local mines in the U.S. and it is one of our most natural and purest options out there. That means it’s a relatively safe choice if it comes in contact with vegetation or accidentally with animals, as you can easily clean it off with minimal irritation.
Rock salt itself is very effective for snow and ice management, but only until temperatures of 15 degrees Fahrenheit or more. It doesn’t stop working below 15 degrees, but it simply won’t be as efficient as other alternatives.
It’s also relatively easy to clean up after the snowfall season and clear out those roads for the spring and summer. Rock salt effectively removes snow and ice in smaller amounts and is a quick and cheap solution for minor snowfall in the mid-Atlantic region.
Take care that it still is a salt and can still damage roads, especially those made of concrete, meaning that too much or not quickly removing it, in the long run, could leave municipalities needing to repair their roads more often.
Combotherm™ Calcium Chloride
This solution is one of our most effective, and as an Ice melt chemicals supplier to many types of businesses, we also recommend this option as the opposite end of the spectrum of rock salt. Whereas rock salt is there to basically throw a salt compound to lower the freezing point of water, Combotherm™ does that but much more effectively.
First, as a cost-saving measure, our ice melt will turn green when it hits the snow or ice (or water for that matter), as many rock salts and road salts are the same white color as the snow. This measure helps immediately remove waste and reduce overall deicing costs during those heavy seasons.
Regarding heavy seasons, Combotherm™ is one of the most robust options we carry. It works effectively up until -25 degrees Fahrenheit and still works even if it’s colder! It is ice melt chemical science at its best and effectively generates heat during the deicing process. It doesn’t just lower the freezing point of water; mini heaters are sprinkled onto the ice. This science level has this product as basically mini chips blended together for maximum effect.
Our offering contains at least 70% of Calcium Chloride, one of the highest concentrations on the market. It’s also a much tougher solution than Magnesium Chloride based solutions or even Sodium Acetate. Due to these plus points, this makes this product your mainline fighter against the snow and should be one of your major products in your snow & ice management business.
ComboTherm™ may appear to come at a higher cost than some other options, but at the same time, because it’s so effective in its job, you’ll end up losing a lot less of it in than expected. So this should be used for the most challenging spots that need deicing, especially after those massive mid-Atlantic snowstorms sweep over the area from time to time.
Which Ice Melt should you have on hand?
The question is not whether to get rock salt or Combotherm™ Calcium Chloride, but it’s to be able to get both. As a supplier of both of these deicers and many other types of ice melt and rock salt solutions, SISCU always recommends diversifying your selection of snow removal products.
As there are times when you just need to put some mild rock salt on the road with a quick clean-up the next day. There are also times when safety is being threatened, and you need something a lot stronger than Calcium Chloride can provide.
Taking these precautions in advance will help prepare you for any event. Despite that, since we cover the area, from DC through Delaware to Southern Pennsylvania, we are your supplier to get you your snow removal supplies even at a moment’s notice.
We’ll be your partner in case of unexpected weather or dwindling supplies that happen due to budget reallocations throughout the year. We always do our best to tend to all orders and ensure we’re your supplier for commercial businesses, industrial companies, municipalities, and other government facilities.
Feel free always to reach out to us if you want additional information on rock salt, Combotherm™ Calcium Chloride, or any related ice melt product.