Leaving early in the morning for work after a heavy snowstorm or freezing rain places you in danger of falling. A small patch of hardened snow or black ice can cause severe injuries during a slip-and-fall incident. A driveway salt product that is poured onto pavement will aid with melting precipitation.
Products
A pure rock salt product contains sodium chloride (salt). Sodium chloride forms naturally in the environment. Salt that is bagged will often contain small pellets. An ice melt product may contain a mixture of ingredients. Sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride work interchangeably to melt ice. The melting point of a particular product will be dependent upon whether a driveway salt material only contains sodium chloride or a mixture of ingredients.
The chemical makeup of a product will modify the temperature at which snow or water freeze. The modification will allow temperatures to plummet greatly without needing to be concerned about frozen precipitation. Living in a particular region where there are many days below freezing may warrant purchasing a salt product that is labeled for extreme temperatures. During the manufacturing of a driveway salt product, pure salt and other chloride products are weighed and broken down into similarly sized pieces.
Usage Tips
Driveway salt can be found in many retail stores. It is a product that is fairly common to see on a store's shelves during the late fall and throughout the winter. Purchasing driveway salt at the onset of colder weather will ensure that you can effectively clear your driveway whenever it snows or whenever freezing rain is experienced. Driveway salt products are effective at melting snow and ice that are on sidewalks, steps, and patios, too.
Upon purchasing a driveway salt product, store the salt in your garage or shed. If you will have to walk across your property to access either structure, place the salt in your home. You will always want to be able to access the salt without placing yourself in danger. A shovel can be used to dispense salt along paved surfaces.
As you administer salt pellets to the pavement that needs to be treated, try to spread out the pellets so that they cover both sides of a paved area. It will take several minutes for the salt to begin melting precipitation. Getting into the habit of heading outside a little bit earlier than normal, on days when you will be using a salt product, will prevent you from being late for work.
For more information about driveway salt, reach out to a local supplier.
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