This Happened When I Bought The Ice Melt To Remove Icy Patches In Kitchener

The Farmer’s Almanac says that Kitchener may witness much above-normal precipitation and snowfall. The snowiest periods would be mid-December, early to mid-January, and early to mid-March.

Although we all are enjoying the chilly Canadian winter, snow removal is one task that keeps us on our toes all the time. 

So, I am not from a cold country and used to live in an apartment earlier. I recently got shifted to an independent house here. 

Non-Toxic Ice Melt

I usually shovel the front walk and the sidewalk in front of my house every time it snows, but the icy patches are harder to shovel away the snow. Gradually I’m also finding it difficult. Not just it’s hard on the back, I’ve heard of some health warnings due to shoveling.

So I was looking for a good driveway ice melt and got this “pet and environment-friendly” ice melt from the grocery store to help keep my front walk and steps from getting too icy. I was also hoping it to help prevent the ice from forming while it is still snowing.

I was so disappointed to see that it left a salty coating on the surface, and later I found that the concrete was chipped too. I noticed that one of the neighbors was also using an ice melt and on asking here’s what he said-

He said that concrete acts almost like a blotter and, it absorbs some of the chemicals used as deicers. Most ice melt products are falsely labeled as pet-friendly and environment-friendly. They contain harmful chemicals like magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, etc.  

Sodium chloride or rock salt is the most common chemical you would find in the market. Since it is the least expensive material and easily available, everyone seems to be using it. It is effective to approximately 12 degrees but can damage soil, plants, metals, and concrete.

Calcium chloride is effective to about minus 25 degrees but makes the surface slippery and slimy.

Sulfates in solution in contact with concrete can cause chemical changes to the cement, which can cause significant microstructural effects leading to the weakening of the cement binder (chemical sulfate attack).

He also told that damage to the concrete also happens due to the freeze-thaw cycle. Although it is a natural process and nothing much could be done about it, using a chlorine-based ice melt can worsen it. Since chlorine absorbs more water, it exerts more pressure on the concrete, resulting in the development of cracks and widening of gaps.

Therefore best ice melt for new concrete is the one that does not contain chlorine.

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