Safest Ice Melt For Brick Pavers

Outdoor walkways are beautiful. Not only do they look elegant, but they also don’t make a hole in your pocket. However, they do require some care and in the snowy weather. Shoveling is one of the most popular ways of getting rid of the snow. But is it safe? And what about those chemical-based ice melt products? Are those ice melt products safe for brick pavers?

You may already know that using salt is not safe to use on brick and concrete. You may have also heard people using fertilizer for ice melt also. Then how do you remove ice without damaging the bricks and affecting their longevity?

Let us try to understand this from a scientific viewpoint.

Rock Salt And Pavers

Before we talk about the ice melt safe for brick pavers, let’s first learn how snow and pavers interact. 

In the liquid form, water molecules (oxygen and hydrogen) move freely. However, once frozen, they bond together in a perfect structure, creating ice. Sodium Chloride breaks these icy molecules or structures or other blends to loosen and melt the ice.

Ice Melt For Concrete

Rock salt when comes in contact with the ice, releases heat resulting in the melting of the ice.

If higher the salt concentration, the lower the freezing point because salty water has a better freezing threshold than regular water.

That may sound good, but here are the problems associated with using rock salt to melt ice on pavers:

• The quick heat reaction and repeated exposure to rock salt cause the joints in between the pavers to contract and expand. 
• Every time the ice melts, it seeps in between the joints. And when it refreezes, it expands the concrete bit by bit. Over time, this results in wider gaps in between your pavers. 
• Salt is a corrosive material and eventually rusts metal, damages concrete, and causes cracks. 
• Overusing the ice melt for pavers can result in damaging the vegetation around the house as well. 

However, you can avoid the stress altogether with the proper ice melt safe for brick pavers and concrete pavers.

So, Is There Any Safe Ice Melt That You Can Use On Bricks?

Yes, there are. There are non-chloride, available in the market that are non-toxic, pet-friendly, and non-corrosive. These are safe to use on bricks and are the best ice melt for the driveway as they act as pre-treatment also. Few ice melts can prevent ice from sticking to surfaces for up to three days, making it easy to clear the snow later.

Since these ice melts are chloride-free and salt-free, they do not cause efflorescence or leave crystal deposits. They are also safe for plants & vegetation and pets.

Often our walkways, patios, and even driveways are made of bricks. Choosing the best ice melt for a driveway can help you extend its lifespan. So, look for an ice melt that will keep melted ice in a liquid state for a longer duration. It means that ice melt will not refreeze as easily or as often, thus preventing the freeze-thaw cycle.

Other Ice Melt Products