Up to date for 2019: This publish has been up to date with new info.
Taking a spill in your icy driveway is unhealthy sufficient while you’re carrying your automobile keys. So think about wiping out whereas carrying a dresser full of garments. Scary state of affairs, for us and for our movers. (And one purpose individuals want to maneuver in summer time.)
If the forecast on your transfer date requires moisture and freezing temps, you could be pondering: Ought to I cowl my entrance stroll and driveway with salt or sand? Sand is used to cowl up the snow, salt will soften it.
When you’ve got the choice, sand is all the time higher.
Why? Let’s break down first the right way to finest apply each of those, which is able to clarify the professionals and cons of each.
Initially, shovel the world you’re going to stroll
One of the best protection is an effective offense. If it snows the night time earlier than your transfer, it virtually goes with out saying that the very first thing you’ll wish to do is seize a shovel and get to work clearing the world.
Should you stay the place temperatures can stay under freezing for days on finish (if not weeks—good day, Minnesota!), you then’ll perceive the significance of shoveling your driveway earlier than all that snow will get packed down and turns to ice.
Now let’s determine whether or not to soften that ice or cowl it up.
Sand or Ice?
If Mom Nature insists on coating the driveway with ice, we’ve got two selections.
We are able to both soften it or cowl it up.
The reply depends upon how chilly it’s, in addition to how a lot you care if it will get into the setting. In both case, the largest precedence is traction.
The case for sand
Masking up ice in our means could be fast and fairly straightforward. All we want is a bag or two of sand.
Sand is much less poisonous, less expensive, and works instantly.
However you may need to maintain reapplying it. Have in mind these few issues:
- Since sand gives traction, as soon as it will get floor into the snow or ice it turns into much less efficient. As many occasions as you or your movers might be strolling backwards and forwards on it, you’ll possible should put extra down a few times through the transfer.
- In extraordinarily chilly temperatures, sand can freeze in hazardous clumps. Some counsel including salt to the sand to assist forestall this from occurring, but when it’s chilly sufficient, that salt received’t assist both (extra on that in a minute).
- Sand is available in a number of varieties. The stuff explicitly meant for icy roads is healthier than sandbox sand, which in flip is healthier than one thing like mason’s sand. In different phrases, the grittier, the higher.
- After the actual fact, sand can acquire in drainage techniques and the soil, ultimately clogging up lakes, streams, pipes and sewers. Which means it’s additionally entering into our consuming water. Clear up what you possibly can or give the neighbor’s child a couple of extra bucks to verify it’s cleaned.
The case for salt
As a substitute of overlaying your packed snow and ice with sand, you possibly can strive melting it with salt. As a result of it’s particularly designed for this goal, it may positively be a pretty possibility.
However for those who don’t apply salt a number of hours or a day or so forward of when that you must safely stroll on the world, salt is basically pointless, because it wants time to start working.
Operating out and shopping for the largest, least expensive bag you’ll find could be your first intuition, however as with sand, there are some things to think about.
- Driveway salt, typically known as “rock salt”, doesn’t soften ice like, say, a sizzling rock or a flamethrower would. As a substitute, when combined with water, it types a liquid brine (a elaborate identify for “salt water”) which has a decrease freezing level than pure water. This brine then acts to decrease the freezing level of the water it is available in contact with, successfully melting it—though solely all the way down to a sure diploma. (Brine that’s 20% salt will nonetheless freeze under zero˚F.)
- Throwing some salt down in your icy driveway will get you nowhere if it’s too chilly for the salt to really combine with the ice! The salt wants to attract moisture from the air to create a brine which is able to act on the ice it touches, which is able to soften and additional the response. Alternatively, there must be some warmth, from the solar or from friction, to provoke the melting course of. In different phrases, don’t wait till your movers are pulling as much as your own home earlier than you begin throwing that salt round.
Different considerations about salt
The most cost effective and most plentiful salt you’ll discover is principally desk salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl). Which will sound completely secure, however do bear in mind:
- That salt might include small quantities of cyanide, which isn’t precisely good for any curious pets or animals.
- Utilizing salt may cause metallic to rust and can harm blacktop, cement, flagstone, brick, wooden and just about the rest your driveway is (or has). Should you’re , this harm just isn’t merely from the salt, however from the rise in freeze/thaw cycles that include the brine’s decrease freezing level, which might start to interrupt down the integrity of the floor with which it’s in touch.
- Bought a cool yard? Salt can harm vegetation by inhibiting their capacity to soak up water and vitamins. Salt additionally leaches heavy metals into the water provide.
- Bought pets? If salt will get lodged in your pet’s paws, it may trigger a nasty burning.
There are additionally salt and sand options!
Alternate options to salt would extra precisely be known as “variations of salt” and have a spectrum of deserves. Whilst you can in all probability discover any of those at a retailer, which one to choose is most dependant on precisely how chilly it’s the place you’re.
- Calcium chloride (CaCl): Covers a wider space than rock salt with a decrease freezing level (round minus 25˚F). It additionally works extra shortly as a result of it offers off warmth because it dissolves. Like rock salt, calcium chloride is corrosive to metallic and might go away a slimy residue. It additionally encourages algae development which clogs waterways.
- Magnesium chloride: It’s just like calcium chloride, albeit considerably much less corrosive, and can start to soak up moisture from the air at 32% humidity, dashing up the melting course of.
- Potassium chloride (KCl): Regardless of its use for executions by deadly injection, is safer for pets and vegetation than calcium chloride. With a freezing level of round 12˚F, additionally it is much less efficient.
- Nitrogen-based urea merchandise: That is just like fertilizers in that they’re costly, ineffective below 20˚F and, like different salts, will ultimately get into the water provide, lakes and streams.
- Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA): Can forestall ice all the way down to round minus 27˚F and is rather more environmentally pleasant than the abovementioned salts – at a a lot greater worth.
Are there extra eco-friendly options?
With all the professionals and cons of those salts and chemical substances, it’s possible you’ll be questioning, “Is there an eco-friendly technique to de-ice my driveway?”
Sure. Possibly. It depends upon your definition of “eco-friendly” and your motivation to be so.
Grist presents a couple of eco-ish options to rock salt in an editorial. GreenMoxie additionally goes all out. Examine them there.
However what everybody appears to agree on – together with us – is that there’s no higher technique to hold your driveway and your entrance stroll away from ice than grabbing that shovel and attending to work.
Or perhaps get the neighbor’s child to do it.
Closing Ideas
- Salt and sand the day earlier than your transfer, clearing away any chunks or different bits to assist hold all of it from refreezing in a single day.
- Making use of salt the morning of your transfer? The warmth from all of the foot site visitors will assist the melting course of, however within the meantime, scattering some sand on prime wouldn’t damage.
- Get an thought of how a lot sq. footage you’ll have to cowl earlier than you run out to seize that salt or sand. If a gross sales assistant isn’t there to assist, you may discover how a lot you want proper on the bag.
And bear in mind, eliminate no matter snow and ice you possibly can alongside the way in which. Your movers will love you for it.
