Ice and Snow removal considerations

[homealone]

If you live in an area which recieves a good bit of snow, you know just how dangerous it can be to walk or drive. Not to mention it can be a pain to get rid of it. Though there are a few different ways you can prevent it from building up around your home to some degree.
You should prepare your home for winter, start off by placing stakes or drive way markers along walk ways and along your driveway. This will help guide you as to where you need to clear snow and ice. This will also help prevent you from causing any damage to your lawn (some products can be harmful to grass).
To help prevent hard ice from forming and to make snow more easy to remove, try using a product called Bare Ground. This product is an anti-snow agent. Bare Ground should be applied to the ground about 1 1/2 or 2 hours prior to the storm hitting. By doing this it will reduce the accumulation of snow and decrease the potential for ice formation. Just one gallon of Bare Ground will treat about one thousand square feet, and each application may last for up to two weeks.
Bare Ground is an enviromentally safe product made of grain, and magnesium chloride and effective to 20 below zero. The use of this product in 35 degree weather or higher will result in a slippery surface.
Of course there are the traditional methods like shoveling the snow before it has a chance to become compacted from vehicles,walking or melting.
Sand is one product many use for icy conditions, but sand does not melt ice it simply provides traction on icy surfaces.
Rock Salt is the most commonly used product for ice removal. It is inexpensive and works in temperature's down to 5 degrees. Down fall of this product is that it is harmful to plants, and can cause damage to both metal and newly poured concrete. Because of this more and more cities are eliminating the use of it on highways.
CMA (Calcium Magnesium Acetate) is another product you can consider using. It has a low toxicity rate and is safe for use around plants, concrete and metals.The down fall is that it is slower than other products when it comes to melting snow and ice. It will work in temperatures below zero.
Calcium Cloride is very fast acting, works in temperatures 12 degrees and up,causes less damage to plants,metal and concrete. Though this product does tend to leave an oily residue behind.
Potassium Chloride, works in temperatures of 12 degrees or higher, causes less damages to metals, plants and concrete. Though is conisdered to be less effective when it comes to removing ice.
Magnesium Chloride. This is more known product. Magnesium chloride quickly melts ice and is effective in temperatures down to 24 degrees below zero. Causes no harm to metal, concrete or vegetation, but can leave an oily residue behind.

It is recommended that you never use any chemical ice removing products on concrete less than one year old, brick or wood as it could possibly cause damage. Be sure to remove slush as soon as possible to keep it from re-freezing.
Now if you live in an area which is bombarded by heavy snows and have the extra money to make the investment, you should consider installing radiant heat. A radiant heat system under your driveway or walkways will stop ice from ever forming, and because there are no chemicals to use there is never the possibility of causing damage to your lawn, metals or concrete. There would be no need for shoveling all that heavy snow in freezing temperatures again. Consider this and conisder the financial investment, this just might be the right choice for you.

[missmanors]

UGH!! Did you have to remind us that we will be shoveling snow before too long?? LOL.

You are absolutely correct though, that time is approaching once again, so now is the times to make some decisions and get prepared. My husband and I try not to use too many chemicals on our walkway and steps as they do tend to wear down the concrete, and instead we try to keep the snow shoveled or swept away as much as possible before it accumulates too much.

The snow falls that I really hate are the ones that hit us over-night, and we wake up to several inches!! Then we shovel and use a little chemical snow removal substance, because the heavy snow has already packed down the last 1/2" or so and it is very slippery by that time.

Your idea of marking a pathway that keeps the chemicals off the lawn is a great idea......I'll have to mention this to my hubby!! Thanks for mentioning it.

[flippinout]

Another thing to take into consideration, is salt for the sidewalks and driveways. Now is the time to stock up on it as there are times when it is not readily available in the winter when a big snow storm hits or one of our frequent ice storms.

And, remember to store a bag of salt in your cars trunk in case you get stuck, it can help you get out.