Prevent Your Driveway Damage From Road Salt

Salt can harm concrete, especially if it is a newly laid driveway. In the winter, it’s at risk of becoming weaker and more vulnerable to damage from sub-freezing temperatures and de-icing salts like sodium chloride road salt.

De-icing salts worsen the freeze-thaw cycle’s impact on concrete, making it more susceptible to cracking. Cracked concrete also means you’ll have to spend more money to repair or replace it next spring.
To avoid damage to your concrete, you have to protect the concrete from road salt and use safe ice melt for concrete for removing snow from your driveway. From the starting, it is worthwhile to invest in high-quality concrete, from mixing to installation to sealant and curing.

Below are some tips to prevent your concrete from rock salt damage:

1.Concrete with a minimum compressive strength is recommended; the stronger the concrete, the better it will withstand the force of expanding water.

2. When water freezes and expands, water can enter the microscopic entrained air spaces in air-entrained concrete, reducing strain on the concrete pores and capillaries.

3. At the site, do not add water to the concrete mix. Get professional concrete mixers and pourers to do the job for you.

4. Keep any drainage covers clear around concrete so that rain and meltwater may drain correctly instead of pooling and sitting on concrete surfaces throughout the winter.

5. Using a metal blade to plow snow on concrete is not a good idea. Instead, remove snow with a rubber or vinyl-edged blade. Instead of using metal shovels to remove snow from concrete, use a plastic shovel. To protect a concrete driveway from snow blowing, use a snowblower with plastic or vinyl shoes.

6. To avoid any collected de-icing salts from getting onto your driveway, remove any extra snow build-up on your wheels or falling snow from your wheel wells after parking your vehicle.

7. In the winter, safe ice melt for concrete can be used instead of de-icing salts to keep your concrete from freezing. SafePaw is a great option. It’s a safe ice melter that won’t ruin your concrete. More importantly, there is nothing like safe salt for driveway. If the ice melt contains chloride-based salts then it is damaging to your concrete. On the other hand, ice melt like Safe Paw is non-corrosive, 100% eco-friendly, pet and kids safe.

8. Concrete Sealing Before the Winter – Apply a concrete sealant to your concrete before winter arrives to prevent winter damage. If winter has already begun and you haven’t yet sealed your concrete, keep an eye out for a day when it is dry and free of snow and ice so you can seal it before the worst of the winter arrives.

During the winter, a concrete sealer can prevent water absorption in concrete, avoiding the damaging effects of the freeze-thaw cycle paired with de-icing salts.

9. In the Spring, Deal with Damage – Once the spring arrives, you can have the loose, flaky material removed if there is only superficial damage, such as spalling on the surface. After that, you can add an overlay and restore your backyard.

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 Ice Melt Products