When winter weather threatens your driveway, sidewalks, stairs or other vulnerable surfaces, make maintenance a breeze with the right ice melt from Ace Hardware. Keep areas slip-free and easily walkable with snow melt salt designed to help you quickly remove snow and ice off your property.
What Does Ice Melt Salt Do?
Ice melt is designed to make walkways, driveways and other areas around your home safer to maneuver through in wintery conditions. Salt for ice works by lowering the freezing point of water, disrupting the temperature at which ice forms.
What is Ice Melt Made Of?
Sodium chloride ice melt, also known as rock salt, is good for slightly warmer winter temperatures, but lower temperatures will require different compounds. Look for calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and potassium chloride salt for ice, as well as mixtures of these ingredients. These snow melt products work well at lower temperatures but may cost more than sodium chloride varieties.
Types of Sidewalk Salts
When winter weather hits and you need to treat slick, icy areas, snow melt salt is an effective product to help make your home safer. No matter which option you choose, sidewalk salt lets you reach hard-to-hit areas.
Sidewalk and driveway ice melt options are available in pellet, granule and liquid form, all offering benefits to suit your specific needs.
- Ice melt pellets: These pea-sized salts easily penetrate beneath stubborn ice surfaces, but they might roll on uneven terrain.
- Granuleice melt: Consisting of irregularly shaped particles, granule ice melts provide excellent traction for walking and driving.
- Liquid ice melt: If you're searching for an ice melt product that works quickly, liquid ice melt begins melting snow and ice on contact.
Which is the Best Driveway Salt?
Calcium chloride driveway salt is a great option, working at very low temperatures to ensure an ice-free surface. However, it harms plants and pets, so you may want to reconsider its use if you maintain a garden or have a four-legged friend walking about. Pet-friendly ice melt for driveways is typically formulated with magnesium chloride. Effective as an ice melter, it requires a higher investment but is safer for plants and animals.
Is Ice Melt Safe for Pets and Plants?
The health and safety of your pets and plants are top considerations when shopping for snow melt supplies. Luckily, Ace carries specialty plant-based, pet-friendly sidewalk salt and ice melt products made from magnesium chloride for peace-of-mind protection. Shop pet-safe ice melt that won't irritate your furry friend's paws, then browse our environmentally safe snow melt salt that won't leave behind hazardous oily residues or chemicals.
Helpful Hints for Applying Snow Melt
Follow these helpful hints to better prepare for the worst conditions this year.
- Utilize key tools like snow blowers,manual snow pushers and power shovels to help prep an area after snowfall.
- Use push salt spreaders for easier application of ice melt pellets
- Reach for a sidewalk scraper to help break loose, thin layers of ice
- Wear warm clothes and protective gear to better deal with cold weather and any potential irritants from the ice melt
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for best results, as ice melt formulas can be different
Shop Salt for Ice and Snow Near You at Ace Hardware
Make your home safer to navigate when the weather turns colder with ice melt near you at Ace Hardware. Shope different formulations to choose the right option for your home. Or, find what you need online, and enjoy speedy delivery straight to your door.
