Which Ice Melt To Use On My Concrete Driveway?

Every year about this time, our phones start ringing with the question "What kind of ice melt can I put on my driveway?" Unfortunately, I have to answer the question, with a question initially. I have to find out if they are one of our concrete sealing customers. If they are the answer is any kind you wish to use. If they are not, I have to explain that ALL ice melts have the potential to damage their driveways.

If you must put ice melt on your driveway then you should promptly remove it when the weather warms. This will likely require that you get the hose out and rinse off all remaining residue from your concrete driveway and sidewalks. Water can further complicate things, as adding water can aggravate the situation. You need to make sure that the concrete can dry, and temperatures remain above freezing until that drying takes place.

I was recently asked to find out some details regarding superior sno-n-ice melter, manufactured by CP Industries out of Salt Lake City. It is apparently being sold in the Kansas City area as a "safe" for concrete ice melter. While their site does show some major differences in the performance of their product, they are comparing it to Rock Salt, and Calcium Chloride, which to my knowledge are not used as stand alone products at all anymore.

In my opinion, this ice melt will be very similar to most of the other ice melt solutions that are available to consumers and professionals alike. The key factor in my experience is to get the ice melt that is rated for the closest temperature that you expect in your region. The melts that are rated for -25 degrees will tear up and destroy your concrete faster than one rated at -5 degrees. They will take a little longer to work, but the savings in concrete replacement will make up for it.

If you really want the Superior Sno-N-Ice melter, it is available locally from Grainger Stores or online at a substantial savings to the price that was quoted to me locally.

If you wish to increase traction, reduce slips and falls, then sand or kitty litter do the trick with the damage to your concrete. Concrete Sealing is something to consider, if you'd like to melt the ice and not damage your concrete.

We offer concrete sealing services in the Kansas City area, guaranteed for 25 years, using SealRx.  Other dealers are available around the country, or to become a SealRx dealer visit the site (www.sealrx.com).  There will be millions of square feet of concrete damaged this year in the United States. Thousands will be calling for estimates in the spring.

About the Author:

John Hutchins owns and operates SealMasters of KC, and has permanently sealed hundreds of thousands of square feet of concrete in the Kansas City area over the past 4 years. Last winter (2008-2009) we treated approximately 2,500,000 sf of concrete sidewalks with ice melt, and have exponentially multiplied that number for this season.