Monday, October 2, 2017

Ice Melt 101




OK yes, it’s only October and hopefully our first snowfall is a couple months away yet- but it’s always good to be prepared! Ice melt choices can be confusing but AMS is here to help.

Rock Salt or Sodium Chloride is economical and is mostly used on large areas, such as parking lots. The bad news about Rock Salt is it is only effective to around 5 degrees Fahrenheit AND it tracks everywhere. It will stick to shoes and end up in your building and vehicles. Be sure to have adequate matting outside and inside your building.

Calcium Chloride can be used to melt ice in extremely low temperatures- down to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit to be exact. This option is not safe for animals and can leave behind an oily film on floors if it is tracked into your building.

Calcium Magnesium Acetate or CMA is a safer option for animals, vegetation, concrete and metals. It can also melt ice down to minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit. AMS carries the CMA product ‘Super Melt Plus’ which is also blue in color so the granules are easily visible, reducing the amount of product spread.

Things to remember-

  •  Ice melt is meant to be used to help break up the ice to make it easier to shovel away.  
  •  It is best to spread ice melt right before a storm, that way it will melt the snow on contact.
  •  Be sure to have 30-60 feet of matting in place (outside and inside) of your building to help reduce tracking.

Call AMS for more questions or to purchase your ice melt! 815-547-7952