Salt And Pavers: What You Should Know?

Winter season is on us.

One of the biggest winter woes is to keep your steps, pavement, and driveway free from the treacherous layer of ice. 

A common way to clear icy pavement is to use rock salt. However, it is not the best way and can lead to big headaches later. 

In this article, we will discuss three reasons why you should not use salt for clearing snow. And what to use instead.

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3 Reasons Why You Should Not Use Salt This Winter

• Corrosive: The most popular way of clearing snow from the pavements is to sprinkle salt. Salt is basically sodium chloride. It does the job of making your driveways and pavements ice-free, but they wreak significant damages to your concrete. Not only does it corrode it, but also leaves stains and streaks on the surface.
• Poisonous: Apart from being corrosive, these salts are also poisonous to your pet and can damage your plants as well. Chlorine in salt and chemical-based ice melts is a toxic respiratory irritant and can damage pets’ skin, eyes, and membranes.
• Costly : While you may think that rock salt is the cheapest way to get rid of icy pavements, it’s not. There is a high cost involved in repairing the damages done by salt.

Luckily, there are other ways to keep driveways and sidewalks ice-free without using these salts and chloride-based ice-melts. 

• Concrete-safe ice melt: An ice melt safe on concrete is one that is composed of urea or crystalline amide solution. Since these ice melts have natural ingredients in their build, they are neither corrosive nor poisonous. New concrete is more vulnerable. Therefore, make sure your ice melt is safe for new concrete also.
• Hot water : Apart from using a good ice melt for concrete, you can also use hot water. Although it is a safe option and does the job, it is slow and ineffective in low temperatures.
• Cat Litter : Another way to circumvent the use of salt or ice melt is cat or kitty litter. Cat litter is made from wood, paper, grain, corncobs, citrus, and grass. Although it adds traction to the icy pavements and prevents slip and fall accidents, it’s a bit messy solution. 

Winter can be merciless to brick pavers, hence, your winter maintenance program should be sensible and safe for not only the bricks but for anyone around them. In this article, we shall discuss ways of protecting and taking care of your brick pavers during snowy months.

Winter Maintenance Tips for Brick Pavers

Keeping your brick pavers in top condition starts even before the first flake falls. Sealing paver stones provides a shield against ice damage, regardless of its severity. It is also an important step in reducing the stone’s water absorption rate which subsequently minimizes freeze-thaw damage risk. Selecting an appropriate sealant that has good longevity and moisture protection is imperative when considering winter care for brick pavers.

Snow and Ice Removal from Pavers

The manner in which you remove snow matters when it falls. Use a plastic shovel instead of a metal one so as to avoid scratching or chipping the surface material on your paved areas. For those who have a larger space to clear out, get snowblowers that are adjusted to higher ground clearance so as not to touch directly onto the stones as you remove snow efficiently. When shovelling or blowing snow off, always remember to direct it towards the direction of the joints among these stones which prevents catching edge pieces causing them to lift up or crack.

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Preventing Brick Paver Damage

Choosing the brick paver ice removal solution is critical. Typically you may think of rock salt or calcium chloride as a logical choice; however, they tend to be harsh/ aggressive on various masonry materials like bricks etc. You can go for any safe ice melt for brick such as those containing urea since it is less corrosive compared with others and also safer both for these pavements themselves and the environment at large. Ideally, De-icers for brick pavers must always be applied sparingly so as to reduce runoff while minimizing chances where they could be destroying the pavements or close-by vegetation.

Moreover, when applying ice melt and brick surfaces, consider the drainage of your paved areas. Proper drainage helps prevent water from pooling and freezing on the pavers, reducing the stress on the pavers during freeze-thaw cycles. Regularly clearing drains and ensuring downspouts direct water away from paved areas can be very beneficial.

Ice Melt and Brick Paver Care

Even if you are using safe de-icers make sure that you rinse off the stones as soon as the weather gets warmer to clear any residual de-icer which may gather moisture leading to damage over time. Check your bricks regularly after winter storms for any damage or need for resealing so that they don’t lose their good looks and value.

Protecting brick pavers in winter requires planning ahead, appropriate equipment and the right products. Using these strategies, not only will your pavers survive the winter months but they will also continue adding beauty and worth to your property every year.

Gaia Enterprises Inc. delivers 100% pet-safe and environmentally friendly winter products. Safe Paw, our flagship product, is the #1 selling pet-safe ice melt that does not harm pets, safe if ingested, and safe on all types of concrete.

Other Methods of getting rid of snow from your pavement-

Other ways of getting clean and ice-free pavements are shoveling and using ice melting mats. The downside of shoveling is that it is laborious, takes a lot of time, and is hard on your back. And snow melting mats reduce your snow-removal efforts, but they are expensive and are heavy on your electricity bill.Therefore, using a good ice melt on concrete that is chemical-free and composed of natural ingredients is the best way to clear snow from pavers, steps, and driveways.

Are you looking for more chemical-free, natural ice melt solutions that are safe and effective to use this winter? Check them out here.

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