If you are looking for rock salt, calcium chloride,
magnesium chloride (MAG) or other ice melt products, you are at the right place!
Presently we are fully stocked and ready for the winter season. Please call 301-428-3200 for this season's current pricing.
When evaluating an ice melt effectiveness, look at the range of temperatures in which it can provide deicing action. The "practical" lowest temperature limits are defined as effective within 15-20 minutes of application and is listed next to each of the types of ice melt that we distribute.
Ice Melt, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride (MAG) and Rock Salt Use Guide
(various ice melt products and optimal temperature use).
Deciding On The Right Ice Melt
Product knowledge can help you determine the right product for your application.
Keeping the grounds safe for vehicles and pedestrians is a main concern when snow and ice accumulates. The use of deicing products is a common way to rid walkways and roads from potentially dangerous ice.
There are hundreds of brand names of ice-melting products on the market. Not all ice melters are created equal, one might be great at melting ice but if there are pets on the property it could make that product unsafe to use.
Is the most commonly used ice melt. It is the least expensive and melts ice
fairly well in moderate to low temperatures. Compared to other materials, though, it has limited effectiveness in very cold temperatures. It will not melt ice at temperatures below 25 degrees and it may be harmful to vegetation and pets.
Is a liquid brine in its natural state and is converted into
a dry material by removing the water. It quickly absorbs
moisture from the atmosphere, while rock salt must come in direct contact with moisture, which is not available at low temperatures. When calcium chloride is converted back into a liquid, it gives off heat thus melting the ice. Calcium chloride will melt ice at or just below the temperature of -25 degrees. If applied heavily, an oily residue may appear.
Magnesium Chloride is considered the best total ice-melter that corrodes metal surfaces less, protects concrete from spalling, is less toxic to animals and environmentally safer than Calcium Chloride and Sodium Chloride (rock salt). Magnesium chloride is effective down to as low as
5° F.
Deicing Alternatives
Ammonium-based ice-melting products like ammonium nitrate, Urea and ammonium sulfate are fertilizers. They are not recommended for use as ice melt, as they have been found to chemically attack and damage concrete the worst of all products available.
Acetates — sodium acetate, calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) and potassium acetate — are environmentally friendly, biodegradable and non-corrosive.
Sodium acetate and CMA is a dry formulation used as an ice melt on bridges, parking decks and airport runways. It does not attack rebar in reinforced concrete and is biodegradable, creating no problems in runoff water. It changes ice and snow into a oatmeal texture. This is not the desirable product to use for sidewalks and parking lots, it also is considered cost-prohibitive by most users, as it costs four to five times more than calcium chloride.
Promise vs. Performance
Don’t be misled by advertising claims. Catchy names, colorful packaging and impressive statistics can lure you to buy ice melt that may not meet your desired expectations. Here are some common claims that may be misleading:
Melting Temperature
“Scientifically proven to melt at temperatures to -5 degrees”. This may be true, but this is a laboratory measurement taken in a controlled environment, not a practical ice melting temperature. In a laboratory, a liquid with a 10% concentration of salt will freeze at 20 degrees, a 20% solution will freeze at 2 degrees, a 23% solution will freeze at -5 degrees, and a 26% solution will freeze at -28 degrees. It’s not likely that you will create an exact 23 percent concentration of salt out on the sidewalks.
The practical ice melting temperature is one at which visible ice melting occurs within 15 minutes of application. Temperatures given previously were the practical melting temperatures.
Vegetation
Most ice melters state they will not harm vegetation when used according to label directions. This can be misleading because there are too many variables in the amount of ice melter used. How much snow and ice must be removed? How many times per year will ice melter be applied? Where does the melted snow and ice go?
Here are the results of a study of common deicing chemicals on turf.
Sodium chloride generally is recommended for use at a rate of 1/2 cup to 1 cup per square yard. Damage to turf occurred with two to three applications and in one application if over applied.
Salt also can kill the roots of plants, not just burn foliage. Sodium Chloride should not be used in area where melted runoff water will come in contact with sensitive plant material. Also, salt continues to build up in the soil, resulting permanent damage.
Fertilizers often are assumed safe for turf because they are fertilizer. The rates for fertilizers used as ice melt, however, are much higher than the rates for feeding. Damage could occur is over applied.
The study also showed that blends of salt and fertilizer also caused damage to vegetation.
Tracking
Many ice melters claim to be non-tracking. If they melt ice and snow, they create slush, and it tracks into facilities, no matter what. Look for an ice melter that is easy to clean up. Calcium Chloride is the hardest to clean when it is tracked on carpets. The use of floor mats also will help lessen the problem.
Concrete
According to the Concrete Institute, damage to concrete is primarily the result of freeze/thaw cycle on poor quality concrete or that of non air entrained concrete. The chemicals sodium chloride and calcium chloride have very little effect on concrete. Ice melters, however, do increase the number of freeze/thaw cycles in a given season.
Ice melters also can damage concrete containing rebar. When chlorides in the brine seep into the concrete and come in contact with the rebar, corrosion begins, resulting in concrete cracking and spalling. For this reason, chlorides are not recommended for use on concrete containing rebar or around steel structures.
Some ice melters contain corrosion inhibitors, but these products have not always proven effective. These products do not act on the chloride ion in salt, but instead, work by pacifying the rebar. In a laboratory test, a bare metal strip is placed in a solution of ice melter with corrosion inhibitor and water. No corrosion occurs because the pacifying agent moves freely in the water and coats the metal. In the real world, the pacifying agent does not move freely; instead, it becomes tied up in the concrete and is not likely to reach the rebar.
The major considerations for choosing ice melters are:
melting temperature
product formulation
cost
types and uses of pavement to be cleared
nearby vegetation and water
interior floor surfaces
Don’t forget, however, to also look at product availability in quantities both large and small, lead time necessary for delivery, and container size and type for safe and efficient storage, handling and disposal.
Finally, take time to speak with a knowledgeable sales representative to discuss specific site needs and determine the most effective, safe and economical products.
