The store shelves are always packed with different types of salt and ice melt during the winter months. But which ones work best? Each ice melt product has pros and cons associated with them. Review the list below and select the one that is best for you.
Rock Salt (Sodium Chloride)
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to find
Cons
- It doesn’t work fast
- Only effective in temperatures above 15°F
- Runoff from melting can harm plants
- Damaging to concrete, asphalt, stone, and brick
- Can contaminate groundwater
- Lethal to pets
Calcium Chloride
Pros
- Effective in temperatures as low as -10°F
- Works faster than most other de-icers
- Comes in many forms–pellets, flakes, and liquid
- Don’t need much to be effective
Cons
- Damages carpet and tile
- Corrodes metal
- Can harm plants
Potassium Chloride
Pros
- Environmentally friendly
- Actually beneficial to plants (it is similar to potassium-based fertilizers)
- Safe for pets
Cons
- It is only effective in temperatures of 25°F and above
- It is expensive
- Hard to find on its own. It is typically in a blend of several different types of de-icers
Magnesium Chloride
Pros
- It works at temperatures down to -13°F
- Fast-acting
- Less corrosive than rock salt and calcium chloride
Cons
- It corrodes metal
- Sometimes keeps pavement wet, which might refreeze
Calcium Magnesium Acetate
Pros
- Environmentally friendly
- Less damaging to roads, sidewalks, and parking lots
- Good for parking garages
- It can be spread over surfaces before snowfall to prevent ice from forming
- Easy to find
Cons
- One of the most expensive ice melt options on the market—can cost up to 30 times more than rock salt
- It can refreeze
Urea
Pros
- Costs about the same as rock salt
- Non-corrosive
- Has a minimal impact on grass and plants
- Safer around pets
Cons
- Nitrogen-based, so often avoided because of possible contamination of water sources from runoff
- Not approved for de-icing in many areas
Why Worry About Ice Melt at All? Hire Aeroscape for Your Snow and Ice Management Needs.
The best way to manage the snow and ice from a winter storm is to hire experts to handle it for you. At Aeroscape, we have snow and ice management specialists who are ready to serve you when that big storm hits. For more information, give us a call at 801.569.2383 or fill out a simple online form at the bottom of our snow and ice removal services page, and an Aeroscape account manager will get in touch with you.