How to Prevent Ice on Driveways
Thawing and refreezing of winter snow and ice turns driveways into wintry danger zones, causing minor injuries, broken and bruised bones, cuts and concussions. Many homeowners deal with snow and ice post-accumulation by shoveling the snow off the driveway's surface, an effective but time-consuming method. For homeowners without the time to shovel driveways, preventive measures can be attempted to stop ice from forming at all. None of these methods are foolproof, but they can provide temporary solutions to remedy slick, dangerous pavement and make the surfaces safer for pedestrians. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Rock salt
- Plastic sheeting or waterproof tarpaulin
- Sand
- Ashes
- Cat litter
Instructions
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Park vehicles on your curb or in the garage to prevent damaging metal with corrosive elements in the products you'll use. Vehicles may be moved back or driven over the driveway after application.
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Spread an even layer of rock salt over the entire surface of the driveway to prevent ice from forming when snow and freezing rain begin to fall. The driveway does not need to be entirely covered; salt pieces that are inches apart will continue to have a melting effect on areas twice their own diameter.
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Cover high-traffic areas of your driveway, areas that you walk on most often to access vehicles, with plastic sheeting or a waterproof tarpaulin before the first instance of bad weather. In the mornings when you first head to your car you can roll, pull or lift the sheet to remove it and create a perfectly snow-free walkway without all the backache created by shoveling snow.
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Tips & Warnings
Reduce the danger of falls on iced-over driveways by spreading sand, ashes and unused cat litter onto the driveway to create traction and prevent slipping.
Park a vehicle over a spot of the driveway you use frequently, this way you will only need to remove the car to create a safe walkway.
Natural and chemical de-icing products may cause metal to corrode, so carefully prevent such products from contacting aluminum siding and vehicles.
Excessive use of de-icing products adds too much salt to soil surrounding driveways, which may result in damage to plants in flower beds near the driveway.
Never apply hot water to ice, as the extreme temperature change may cause cracking on glass, concrete and other surfaces on driveways and vehicles. Hot water will also freeze back more quickly than cold water.
References
Resources
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