Best Concrete-Safe Ice Melt In Mississauga
The Almanac report predicts that in Mississauga, precipitation and snowfall will be much above normal, with the snowiest periods in mid-December, early to mid-January, and early to mid-March. April and May will be cooler and rainier than normal in the east and warmer and drier in the west.
How much are you prepared for the snow? Are you a savvy homeowner who wants to take care of the concrete pavement, driveway, and steps? If yes, then this article is for you. If your driveways, steps, and sidewalk are composed of concrete or asphalt, then you have to be a little careful before using salt or chloride to melt snow in winters.
Ice Melt Safe For Dogs
Safe Paw
The Original and the #1 Pet and Child Safe Ice Melt for over 20 years. Guaranteed environmentally safe – will not harm waterways and sensitive wetlands.
Rock Salt –
How can we not talk about rock salt while discussing ice melt solutions? Rock salt seems to be the most popular choice in the town for two reasons. It is the least expensive material and easily available. It is effective to approximately 12 degrees but can damage soil, plants, and metals. If you’re looking for an ice melt that is safe for new concrete, you must know that it can corrode it.
Salt, by its nature, is acidic. Conversely, concrete is very alkaline. When the salt melts the snow, it seeps into the pores, and the chlorine starts to lower the pH of concrete. This process makes the concrete brittle and results in the development of flakes and scales.
Chemical-based Ice Melt –
Most brands like Snow Joe, Uline Ice melt, Safe Step Ice melt, The Only Pet Safe Ice Melt, and Paw Thaw use chemicals like calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and CMA. These chemical-based ice melt are more dangerous than rock salt and damages the concrete.
Chemical-free Ice Melt –
Then there are chemical-free ice melt like Safe Paw. The crystalline amide-based solution is one of the only ice melts that guarantees its safety around children and pets. The modified crystalline amide core is infused with a special glycol admixture and traction agent. On contact with snow, the outer layer attacks immediately while the crystal core penetrates gradually to eliminate all snow and ice. It can melt at temperatures as low as -2 degrees.
Safe Paw is a non-corrosive ice melt. Therefore, it is safe for your delicate machines, and you don’t need to worry about short-circuiting, etc. It won’t harm animals, children, or damage your property.
However, beware of brands that falsely claim themselves to be pet-safe.
Weather Forcast
[wpc-weather id=”3152″ /]Other Ways To Protect Your Driveway –
1. Pre-treat The Surface –
Pre-treating the surface with ice melt means applying the ice melt before the storm hits. Pretreating leads to the formation of brine that prevents the snow from sticking to the surface.
2. Don’t Use Large Quantities –
Overuse of rock salt or chemical ice melt can be harmful to delicate machinery, building materials, concrete, vegetation, pets, and kids. The best way to avoid this is to use an ice melter safe for concrete, dogs, and vegetation. Overdose of non-toxic ice melt will not be harmful.
3. Seal The Deal –
You should use a flexible sealant to seal the cracks and prevent moisture from getting into the concrete.
Other Products
Traction Magic – Walk On Ice
The handy disposable canister can be taken everywhere with the same 100% naturally occurring minerals that provide instant traction on ice. Use it on sidewalks, steps, or as an instant traction agent for your car.
Safe Thaw
Imagine an ice melt you can put down and never worry about. It won’t harm animals or children, and it won’t damage your property. That’s Safe Thaw. Unlike anything else on the market, Safe Thaw can change how winter affects our planet.