How Does Rock Salt Damage Your Driveway?

The winter season is approaching fast, and most of us have already started preparing for it. Be it the festivals, holidays, or the snow- it’s time to enjoy the cold weather.

If you have a nice long driveway then you must be worried about the driveway safe ice melt. Salt on new concrete is extremely harmful and can cause severe damage to the driveway. Most people don’t realize that and use salt carelessly on their driveway. Chloride-based salts can not only harm your driveway but can also hurt your pets, kids, and environment.

How Does Rock Salt Harm The Driveway?

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

Pet-Friendly Ice Melt

If your driveway is appropriately maintained, salt on new concrete 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. 

Pet Safe Ice Melt

Seeking pet safe ice melt? Your pets’ paws are as sensitive as your skin. Imagine walking barefoot on harsh chemicals! Here’s the scoop—opt for products that are tagged as safe for pets. These usually avoid harsh chemicals like sodium chloride, which can burn their little paws and pose health risks if licked. Using salt on the driveway? Think twice. Salt can dehydrate and crack their paw pads. Consider gentler alternatives like Safe Paw, which is free from those gnarly chemicals and is designed to be safe for your pets, children, and the environment.

Eco-Friendly Driveway Salt Alternatives

Worried about concrete and salt? You should be! Salt can wreak havoc on your concrete driveway, leading to pitting and increased deterioration over time. But wait, there’s hope with eco-friendly driveway salt alternatives. Ever heard of Beet Juice? It’s not just for salads! This sweet alternative works effectively by lowering the freezing point of water, just like salt, but without the corrosive damage. 

Bulk Purchase With Safe Paw

Then there’s modified urea with glyclols—the gentler giant that won’t assault your driveway or flora. This is excactly what Safe Paw is comprised of. This champ goes beyond the call of duty, providing a safe path without the environmental punch. It’s a win-win, really. It handles those icy patches without the toxic trade-off, and it’s effective at crazy low temperatures too!

How to Apply Salt to Driveway?

Got your de-icing salt ready? Here’s a quick tip: don’t just throw it down willy-nilly. Measure it out. Too much salt can leave a lasting scar on your concrete and harm the adjacent greenery. A calibrated spreader is your friend here, ensuring you cover the driveway evenly without overdoing it.

So, whether you’re prepping for a light frost or a full-blown winter assault, remember—keeping your driveway clear of ice with salt needs a mindful approach. Switch it up with some safe ice melt solutions and keep the spring in your step (and your pets’!) all winter long.

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.

Alternatives To Rock Salt

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

1. Shovels

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. Metal shovels can scrap the driveway surface and damage it. Shoveling is hard for your back and sometimes can lead to injuries as well.

2. Heating Systems

It is the only method that doesn’t require tons 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 also, the entire heating equipment and machinery is expensive. 

3. Ice Melts

There are 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 that 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. Safe Paw is effective at very low temperatures and is environment friendly too.

Conclusion

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 driveways. Use driveway safe ice melt and keep your driveway safe during the winters. 

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