Ice Melting Chemicals in the Landscape

Cold weather has arrived and along with it the snow and ice with which many of us are forced to contend. For years we've been using rock salt (sodium chloride) on our sidewalks,driveways, and roads, and we've been tolerating the damage these chemicals cause to our landscapes and lawns. Now though, better, more environmentally friendly products have become available and I have listed the most popular deicing products available today.

But before I get into the products themselves, lets first discuss exactly what deicing agents are and how they work. Deicing agents are chemicals, usually a type of salt, which when applied to ice or snow covered surfaces, melt into a brine which then breaks the bond between the ice and the pavement. Once this bond is broken, the ice can be removed by mechanical means. These deicers, though contrary to what many of us believe, are not intended to melt every bit of ice or snow on a surface, and they also can damage turf, landscapes, and pavements. Deicers, regardless of the type, should not be applied heavily or indiscriminately.

Certain types of deicing materials can damage concrete, but for the most part, when used according to directions on properly constructed and cured pavements, these products will do no harm. Most of the damage to pavements is actually caused by the repeating freezing and thawing of water trapped in cracks and crevices of pavement. To minimize the effects on concrete, snow should be removed promptly and any excess deicing materials should be swept away.

All deicing materials have the potential to harm the soil and plants growing in it, though keep in mind different plants have different levels of tolerance to salt and I have included a site for you to visit which lists some plants and their tolerance to deicing materials: http://members.lcia.com/henryk/salttol.h...

The following is a list of popular materials used for melting ice and snow:

Ammonium Sulphate: Used in fertilizer. Attacks concrete and is not recommended.

Calcium Chloride: Very fast acting and has the least harmful effect on concrete. This product is exothermic, i.e. it releases heat as it dissolves. Least harmful to plants. Effective down to -25 degrees farenheit.

Magnesium Chloride: Considered by some to be the best all around deicer because it has the least corrosive effects on metal surfaces and concrete. Its also environmentally safer as well. Contains up to 51% water though, so it may become dilute and ineffective and may refreeze. When used as directed should not damage plants, but because it has more chloride than other deicing materials, this product can cause lots of damage when used improperly.

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