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Posted

Yesterday morning when I walked outside there was an inch and a half thick layer of ice on the driveway in front of the front door. Almost hit the ground.

 

Yesterday afternoon I went out to check the mail and it was still there. So I got a shovel and I busted a bunch of it up and throwed it off into the grass.0snowb.thumb.jpg.3a906e2df6db6dee26a5b27776ccbd64.jpg

 

And then I cleared me a path to the dry driveway.

0snowc.thumb.jpg.9bd784e818ceadd4126d2a61b3231739.jpg

 

I even cleared some the other direction - I have a circular drive.

 

0snowd.thumb.jpg.f610413280fa174b96d719382d452f3c.jpg

 

0snowe.thumb.jpg.9ed29d2378a29e36af600ca2fcf86297.jpg

 

But of course, there was water underneath that layer of ice, and when the temperature dropped down to 22 last night, the water turned into new ice. And again, when I went out this morning to drain the dog, I about hit the ground.

 

It occurred to me that I have heard that up north they put salt on the roads when they're covered with ice. So my question.

 

Is the salt supposed to melt the ice? Or does it stick to the top of the ice and give traction?

 

Y'all may notice those pictures, which were just taking at 1:30 in the afternoon, are in full shadow. Sun's on the wrong side of the house. So I'm assuming that tomorrow morning there's going to be another sheet of ice out there. Which prompted my wonder about the salt.

Posted

Salt melts the ice, kills the grass a little, pollutes wells. It’ll all run off with the melt when it rains, probably sparing your weeds/grass. Calcium carbonate is better than sodium chloride. I think. If you do get some salt put a little on some ice and watch it.

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Posted

Considering the short time you'll be dealing with this, I'd go with sand. You can likely get a small bag at the store. Just a light sprinkle is all you need. Add as needed. Easy to sweep off after the event and you won't be tracking salt into the house or getting it on Worthless' paws. Sand will also absorb the sun and help melt it.

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Posted

Salt doesn't really work below 20° either, calcium chloride I believe will. But why turn your driveway all white when it'll be clear in a few days after the weather warm up. Salt is rough on pets feet as well.

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Posted

Ice just SUCKS! That's what we usually get here. We are sort of in a transition zone. Snow to the north, rain to the south and we usually get %$%&

sleet and ice. We dodged the bullet this time. Had a few snowflakes flying around and that was it.

JHC

Posted

Salt will melt ice at any temp but will damage your concrete. There are products that will do the same thing and will not damage your concrete.

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Posted

To your question: saltwater freezes at a lower temp than freshwater. Adding salt will melt the ice to between 15-20 degrees F but as stated the runoff is saltwater.

 

If the temp is below 15 commercial ice melts work but only so cold.

 

Places where it doesn't melt all winter add sand/gravel to increase traction until the melt.

 

Harbor freight sells a propane weed burner for about $30.  It'll take care of it

 

 

Posted (edited)

Some years ago it came a sleet storm one Sunday when I was at work. 15 mile drive home on I-20, was slick as snot on a doorknob. I spun out and hit the car shredder in the median. Thankfully Silver still ran and I made it home.

JHC

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Edited by Capt. James H. Callahan
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Posted
4 minutes ago, Grass Range said:

Salt will melt ice at any temp but will damage your concrete. There are products that will do the same thing and will not damage your concrete.

According to most experts, road salt (sodium chloride) becomes largely ineffective at melting ice when temperatures drop below around 15°F (or even 20°F), meaning it is considered to not be "working" at those very low temperatures; at this point, the amount of salt needed to melt ice becomes impractical and it won't be able to effectively lower the freezing point of water enough to melt the ice. 

 

Which is certainly our experience here, we've gone to Clearlane which is also sodium cloride. As a Selectman living in  NE, I can tell you salt is worthless below about 20 and severely adds to vehicle rust. Clearlane is also non corrosive and only about $15 a ton more expensive for us. It's a greenish color.

 

https://www.cargill.com/industrial/winter-road-maintenance/clearlane-enhanced-deicer

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Posted
57 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Calcium carbonate

 

How about calcium carbide?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait 10 minutes and toss a match.

 

:D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted

I like the beet juice some DOT spray it's a great idea.

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Posted
10 minutes ago, Texas Joker said:

I like the beet juice some DOT spray it's a great idea.

The State uses brine in some sensitive areas. Must be the same idea. Is the beet juice red, if so must look like carnage in the streets.:lol:

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Posted

My crew has put down over 50 ton this year in a small town of 2500. Every street and alley is clear.

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Posted
6 hours ago, Grass Range said:

Salt will melt ice at any temp but will damage your concrete. There are products that will do the same thing and will not damage your concrete.

 

6 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Do you ever get to see the cars from us yankee folk when we escape to floryda?  Salt encrusted?  Needing a warsh?

 

both of these for sure , if it wont be there long use a bit of sand and avoid both of the above , oh and just in case , wash your truck , 

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Posted

Y'all are getting a little too involved in this answer. I was thinking about sprinkling table salt on the ice right outside the front door so I wouldn't slip as I was going out of the house. That's all. Not going to go buy anything. Use salt I already have.

 

But I didn't did it and it has all melted away. Well, not all of it but a lot of it is melted away so I can now get in and out without risking busting my butt.

 

But I was just curious as to whether the salt would melt the ice or make the ice less slippery. I certainly wasn't going to drive on it.

 

Christmas of 89 was the last time it snowed here. And it snowed for a couple of days and it stayed for about a week.

 

Since we didn't have salt they put down dirt. That gave you a little better traction, until the sun came out and the ice melted and the dirt turned into mud and then that night it froze again and it was slipperier than the plain ice had been.

Posted

I use a handful of rock salt on the steps to the house and the pavers at the bottom. The rock salt makes dime-size holes in the daytime. There is some refreeze at night, but whatever light reaches it in the day, even in shade helps it start melting again.

 

Table salt, even kosher salt, does not do as well for getting to the bottom of the ice layer. Whatever melt it does runs off and gets too dilute to help further, the really coarse salt stays put for a day or two. I bought a bag of it about 7 years ago, and poured it into empty kitty litter jugs (big screw-on caps). This makes it easy to keep a few pounds nearby while most of the bulk is on a shelf in the garage. I have maybe used half of it over the years.

 

Still need to be careful once the temp drops real low and it refreezes.

Posted

Solar salt for your water softener is cheap and plentiful. Most folks don't think about it when the ice melt is sold out

Posted

When I walk the dog I carry a cane. I don't have trouble walking but sometimes I have trouble standing, so three legs works better than two. And then when I am picking up after the dog, I use the cane to support myself as I lean over.

 

The cane comes in real damn handy on ice-coated concrete. Without the cane, I have one foot on a solid spot and I'm reaching out with my other foot hoping where I put it will be solid, and if it's slippery I'm either going down or I'm going to turn myself into a wishbone. With the cane I keep both feet on dry solid and reach around trying to find some place that's not slippery. Very handy item.

 

Although I've been thinking about an alpenstock lately.

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