Can Ice Melt Damage Sidewalks?
After a freeze, a thin or almost invisible layer of ice can form on sidewalks and walkways, posing danger to those who travel on them. Ice-melting products let you remove this hazard, but using them can damage the material in some sidewalks or cause sidewalks to crack. Does this Spark an idea?
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Significance
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The three most common ice melt ingredients chemically attack concrete. They are ammonium sulfate, magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. However, most of the damage to sidewalks comes from a process called the freeze-thaw cycle, rather than from ice melt chemicals.
Freeze-Thaw Cycle
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During the freeze-thaw cycle, moisture seeps into sidewalk cracks and surface pores and then freezes. When the moisture changes into ice, it expands, putting pressure on surfaces. The chemicals in ice melt products actually increase the number of times the freeze-thaw cycles occurs, in effect doubling the rate of expansion during freezing.
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Considerations
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Weak pavements and concrete that is less than one year old are at greatest risk of damage. Masonry, stone and asphalt are also susceptible to the freeze-thaw cycle. You can protect these surfaces by using a pure traction aid, such as garnet sand, instead of harsh ice-melting chemicals.
Benefits
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Ice-melting products are best applied before a freeze, but a freeze cannot always be anticipated. If possible, apply a sealant before cold weather to prevent damage to a sidewalk.
Warning
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If keeping a sidewalk clear is critical, as in a high-traffic area, risking damage to the sidewalk by using ice melt far outweighs the potential liability and injuries from falls or accidents.
Insight
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Ice melt is more likely to damage indoor floors and surfaces than outdoor sidewalks and walkways. Clean up deicers put down outside, and use a track mat to help prevent damage.
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References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
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Comments
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james77777
Aug 08, 2010
When I know snow is coming, I salt the sidewalk with regular table salt from the kitchen. It is about 20 cents at Aldis for 16 oz. Then there is a little melted zone between the foot packed snow and the sidewalk and I can easily get a shovel under it. By using fine table salt, I get good uniform coverage and less high salt concentrations than trying to melt thick ice. Other times, it is impossible to get the ice off due to time, so I sprinkle with sand. Ice is not the problem, but slipping is. Use sand only in areas where it will not be tracked into the house. One grain of sand rolled under many feet can do a job on a nice floor. For my own driveway, I clear and salt a foot path for my personal use. Next snowfall, I clear and salt a different salt. That is to minimize the amount of total salt on the drive. Never park on a driveway in salt season. That will lead to...
