Snow day snack and Ice Melt advice

GATABITES · January 2015

It's the snow season here in the N/E region. We had a few inched this morning and I had to shovel today. I seem to aways shovel a path to the cookers first. I had a taste for sausage. Pulled them out of the freezer and I seasoned these Hot Italian sausage with a little Killer hogs rub. I cooked these raise direct at 400* with a small chunk of cherry. It's was warm snack and satisfied the post shovel hunger. Lol, Here's a couple pics. No plated shot as these went straight on a potato bead bun, a little mustard, and in my belly.

Adivce: My my driveway was poured about 2.5 years ago, so it's fairly new. I noticed a little damage in a couple places from the salt I used last year. I don't even remember the brand so there is no point of reference. Can you guys recommend an Ice melt product that won't further damage my driveway? It's not too bad, but I can see this causing advanced chipping and cracking if I don't address it now. I don't want to go out and spend too much on the wrong product. Any recommendations are appreciated.

Tinyfish · January 2015

Well deserved after a little shoveling.

CazualWhiteGuy · January 2015

I've worked for an Ace Hardware for years and sell ice melt daily. Magnesium Chloride will most likely be the safest readily available ice melter that is safer on concrete and for pets as well. It also tracks into the house less but does tend to cost a bit more than simple Sodium/Calcium blends that are harsher on the environment.

GATABITES · January 2015

@cazualwhiteguy - thanks for the advice. Is there a particular brand you can recommend? I have been clicking around online and the concrete industry recommends using play sand, birdseed, or kitty litter. How do feel about those? I know it wont melt but it provides traction and they say its so much safer.

Eggcelsior · January 2015

I use Safe Paw that I found at Costco. Child/Pet safe and safe on concrete. It has no salt in it.

I had some nasty damage to my concrete steps last winter(the whole neighborhood did) but it was attributed to the freeze/thaw cycles during the polar vortex period. It looks just like spalling but it apparently had something to do with the quality of the concrete mix that the contractor used when they poured the sidewalks. If you walk to the older part of the neighborhood, zero damage at all. I can't decide if I'm going to have it repaired or get it bricked over.

CazualWhiteGuy · January 2015

GATABITES said:
@cazualwhiteguy - thanks for the advice. Is there a particular brand you can recommend? I have been clicking around online and the concrete industry recommends using play sand, birdseed, or kitty litter. How do feel about those? I know it wont melt but it provides traction and they say its so much safer.

Freezeguard, SafeStep, just look at the active chemicals in it. Those alternatives will definitely be safer for the concrete since it won't go through so many freeze/thaw cycles but they will also not melt any ice like you said. Some people do a mixture of sand/salt to get somewhat of a compromise.

DaveRichardson · January 2015

If you have direct sun, use some regular play sand in whatever your mix of ice melt. The sand will help retain and re-direct the sun's rays to warm the surface and also provide a little traction.

BRush00 · January 2015

OR - you can do what my F-i-L did for a week while we were gone (boxing day - new years), and just drive over the snow! Packing down a nice 1" thick layer of snow/ice seemed to work out ok after I chizzled it all away...

WAIT A MINUTE....

You actually want to DEAL with your snow/ice problem..... ignore me....

DieselkW · January 2015

I gotta agree with @BRush00 - leave 1/2" on the driveway and pack it down with tires. If you have a cold winter, snow will not get any colder than 32f and will protect your driveway surface.

Removing all the snow, putting chemicals on the surface, and exposing it to sub zero air will do a lot more damage than letting it hibernate under the snow.

Of course, if you're dealing with a hill and all season tires, you're going to need to get all the snow off.

BRush00 · January 2015

hahaha - @DieselkW , funny thing is I was being 1000% sarcastic. Man oh man was I fuming on Sunday Morning as I chipped all the ice away.

Also - Snow absolutely can be colder than 32degrees, however definitly would protect your concrete better than salt would.

Zmokin · January 2015

Flame Throwers work wonders.

)

fishlessman · January 2015

i use the salt/sand mixture that the town puts on the roads for my long concrete cement steps and have not had a problem in 15years, i do use it very sparingly and the sand helps with the traction. they set up barrels of sand/salt in the bad areas and theres one within 50 feet of the house, they also let me go to the town yard for pickup. for the driveway i have 4 wheel drive but that tends to drive the neighbors crazy enough to snowblow it when im not around

)

GATABITES · January 2015

I have to agree with what @eggcelsior said. My driveway seems a bit more sensitive than my neighbors. Maybe because it was poured a few months before we bought the house in Jan/13. I have also noticed that the neighbors driveway tends to melt the snow graduatlly and mine will maintain the temps because the snow stays for a longer period of time. My neighbor drove by and said why are you shoveling? My driveway doesnt have any snow...... IDK

The compound in mine cant possibly be the same as my neighbors. All the homes were build in 1993.

GATABITES · January 2015

DieselkW said:

I gotta agree with @BRush00 - leave 1/2" on the driveway and pack it down with tires. If you have a cold winter, snow will not get any colder than 32f and will protect your driveway surface.

Removing all the snow, putting chemicals on the surface, and exposing it to sub zero air will do a lot more damage than letting it hibernate under the snow.

Of course, if you're dealing with a hill and all season tires, you're going to need to get all the snow off.

I wish. I am on a slope so I will never make it to the garage if snow is on the driveway. I had to get a good rolling start last night after shoveling. It was slick as hell. I will be getting my dads 94 Z-71 Silverado and I can leave my car in the garage.

GATABITES · January 2015

Thanks for all the advice fellas. I think I am going to try the sand mix give me a little more traction. I bought some pellets (non-sodium) last night that were supposed to be safe for concrete. I know it wont melt but if I have traction Im golden.

Eggcelsior · January 2015

Safe Paw melts snow. It goes right through the ice initially and is endothermic so it absorbs solar energy to help melt the ice from the inside out.

Snow day snack and Ice Melt advice

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