What is the best way to melt ice in cold weather?
AccuWeather's Dexter Henry talks to hardware store owners and the New York Department of Sanitation to figure out which product they believe is best to get rid of the ice and snow from your sidewalk.
An icy sidewalk or driveway is one of the fastest ways to get hurt during the winter. Whether on foot or in a car, you need your roads to be safe and free of ice. We all know this, but the main concern is which de-icing material is better: sodium chloride or calcium chloride?
Which will keep your roads clear of snow and ice? Which ice melt will not destroy your lawn? Which works best in lower temperatures?
These are all important things to keep in mind when choosing which ice melt is best for you. The trick is that one is not inherently better than the other, but there are some pros and cons to each, and you’ll be able to decide which fits your specific needs.
Photo by Filip Mroz
Using sodium chloride to melt ice
Sodium Chloride, otherwise known as rock salt, is one of the most common ice melts in the country. It keeps moisture away, which helps keep the roads from icing over themselves. The main draw to rock salt is that it is extremely cheap and easy to come by while also being useful, especially considering the low cost. Another pro is that it has a low freezing point, which makes it useful for clearing driveways and sidewalks.
One of the most significant drawbacks to rock salt, however, is the fact that it only works well between approximate temperatures of 25 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in the northern part of the country, especially the Northeast, you are going to want an ice melt that can withstand and be functional in much colder temperatures as winter temperatures are, on average, 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
AP Photo/Stew Milne
Using calcium chloride to melt ice
Calcium chloride does not have a more colloquial name it goes by, but it is well known within the ice melt industry and can be almost as easily located as rock salt. Calcium chloride is known to be better for roads, sidewalks, driveways, and plants compared to rock salt as it is less corrosive. Rock salt, especially when piled onto edges of lawns when the street sweepers come, kill your grass. The best thing about calcium chloride is that it will work in those extremely low temperatures, proving to be effective in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Hopefully, you aren’t dealing with temperatures that low regularly, but you’d know if you had calcium chloride in your garage, you’d be safe from ice.
The main reason it is not nearly as popular as rock salt is that calcium chloride is much more expensive. It can cost twice as much. When you’re buying big tubs and barrels of ice melt in preparation for the winter season, rock salt is going to look far more appealing.
The analysis of melting ice
Overall, calcium chloride is better as it can withstand much colder temperatures and has less corrosive effects as compared to sodium chloride. However, we can’t completely ignore that price is a factor when evaluating which ice melt you’re going to want to be stocked up on this winter. When you’re looking to purchase your ice melt for the season, check your local weather station to see if you’d need an ice melt that could resist incredibly low temperatures. If you don’t, then rock salt is a perfectly fine solution to your winter ice problems. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but making an informed decision will guarantee you have a safe and ice-free winter.
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