Can Rock Salt Damage an Asphalt Driveway?

The winter season for 2021 is about to come, and most of us have already started preparing for it. Be it the festivals, holidays, or the snow; the wait is almost over. 

Now, if you’re one of those who have the responsibility for taking care of the snow deposited around your house and driveway, you must have started looking for a safe pet ice melter. But here’s something you should know, we don’t need an ice melt that is safe for just the pets or children; we need the one that is safe for your asphalt driveway as well.

You might be using rock salt for your driveway, thinking that it won’t harm it in any way, but the fact is, it does. 

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How Does Rock Salt Harm the Asphalt Driveway?

Rock salt, also known as sodium chloride, can damage unsealed asphalt. This is because rock salt accelerated the normal deterioration because of the freeze/thaw cycle in the winter season. This, in turn, shortens the lifespan of the asphalt.

If your asphalt driveway is appropriately maintained, rock salt might not damage it a lot, but it can damage it severely if it isn’t maintained. So, if you have to use rock salt, you will need to start the maintenance process from summer only. Proper maintenance includes repair of cracks, adding a seal coating, and fixing any water penetrations. 

Alternatives to Rock Salt

So now that you know that rock salt is dangerous for your asphalt driveway, don’t you think you should use an alternative? Here are the top alternatives to rock salt.

• Plastic Shovels

Plastic shovels are one of the oldest yet effective ways of removing snow from the driveways and other areas. However, this requires a lot of manual work and time. Also, if you prefer using shovels, make sure you use a plastic shovel instead of a metal shovel. This is because metal shovels can scrap the driveway surface.

• Heating Systems

This is the only method that doesn’t require any kind of manual work. All you need to do is install a heating system beneath your driveway. However, it’s not for everyone as it requires you to install a brand new driveway, and that’s very expensive. So the majority of the people refrain from doing it.

• Ice Melts

Rock salt is an ice melt, but not all the ice melts available in the market contain rock salt. There are several kinds of ice melts that are safe for your pets, family, environment, and asphalt driveway. Using an ice melt needs a little bit of manual work but isn’t expensive at all.

Safe Paw is an ice melt that is 100% safe, easy to use, and affordable. To use it, all you need to do is spread it across your driveway even before the winter season, and it won’t let the snow get deposited there. 

To Conclude-

Rock salt might be the cheapest solution to get rid of the snow but isn’t a good ice melter for wood decks and even asphalt driveways. Use the other alternatives and keep your driveway safe during the winters. 

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