What Are The Effects Of Salt On Concrete

We’ll be entering another year in just about two months, but before the new year comes, the winter season will arrive. And with the winter season will come snowfall and festivals. 

So are you ready with all your measures to fight the snow and protect the concrete?

Well, if you’re planning to fight the snow with salt, you’re not protecting your concrete but rather harming it. Didn’t understand?

Salt might be easy to use and affordable ice melt, but it’s harming your concrete in the long run. Let’s understand this in more detail-

Ice Melt For Concrete

Effects Of Salt On Concrete-

The Freeze/Thaw Cycle

Here’s a fact- water freezes at 32 degrees to form ice and snow. Now when you use rock salt, it will reduce the freezing point to 25 degrees. So rock salt will melt the ice and snow and turn it into the water when the temperature gets between 32-25 degrees. However, when the temperature continues to decrease and gets below 25 degrees, the water will freeze and turn into ice again, and this process continues. Now, this cycle is known as the Freeze/Thaw Cycle. 

How Does It Harm The Concrete?

When the temperature gets between 32-25 degrees, rock salt will turn the ice into water, and the water can get into all the cracks in the concrete. Now when the temperature continues to fall, the water freezes into ice and expands the cracks. This, in turn, results in causing too much pressure on the build-up and eventually exceed the limit the concrete could withstand. 

Salt Corrosion

When you use salt as an ice melt for concrete, it can eventually go anywhere with the water. If it seeps into the cracks and stays there, it can corrode and rust the metal used inside the concrete. When corrosion begins, it will start pushing out the surrounding concrete, leading to cracks and sprawlings. 

Is A Salt-Based Ice Melt Like Magnesium Chloride Ice Melt Pet Safe?

You must have understood how harmful rock salt can be for your concrete with all the information provided above. However, it doesn’t end here. While it’s detrimental to concrete, it’s more dangerous to your pets and children. This is because it can cause several health issues. For example, if your pets even unknowingly ingest salt, it might cause dry paws and even many gastrointestinal problems. 

So what to choose if not rock salt?

Is there Any Safe Ice Melt For Concrete?

There are several other ice melts that you can use, but you need to make sure that the ice melt you’re choosing is not just safe for the concrete but also safe for pets, children, and the environment. 

Safe Paw is one of the safest ice melts out there as it is 100% safe for the concrete, children, pets, and the environment. It has no side effects and is very easy to use. Here are some tips for using it-

• Treat the surface around your house with the ice melt even before the snowfalls.
• Please read the instructions carefully before using them.
• Take all the safety measures suggested before applying.

To Conclude-

This is all about the ill effects of salt on concrete. Now that you know what to do next start your preparations as early as possible. Happy winters!

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.

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