Use Traction Agents On New Concrete Instead Of Salt
The biggest question in the winter is how to walk on ice without falling? Homeowners during the winter use piles of rock salt on their new driveways to prevent ice slips and falls. You require increased traction for walking on ice. But rock salt is not the best product to provide safe conditions for walking on ice. Rock salt damages your newly built driveway concrete and is even harmful to your pets and kids.
Therefore, in the article, we’ll discuss the better alternatives to rock salt or salt-based ice melt that can provide us the required traction for walking on ice.
How Does Rock Salt Damages Your Concrete?
Ice melts containing chloride-based salts can cause damage to your new concrete. After the snowfall ice starts to melt, the water that soaks in the concrete could refreeze when the temperature starts to drop in the evening. The water then expands when the temperature drops, which can cause tiny cracks in the concrete. In technical terms, this is commonly termed as the freeze and thaw cycle.
Now Let’s Discuss Some Better Alternatives To De-Ice Your Driveway
- Traction Agent
Traction agents come very handy when you need immediate traction on the ice. Unlike ice melts, they don’t melt the ice, but they increase the friction between the surface of the ice and your foot. Walk On Ice is a very effective traction agent that contains 2 types of natural granules – Absorbers and Grippers.
Absorbers help in absorbing the excess water on the surface of the ice. This thin layer of water is the main cause of ice slipperiness. On the other hand, the Gripper granules with their spiky structure embed into the ice surface and provide sandpaper-like effects.
Moreover, Walk On Ice is non-toxic to humans, concrete, and environment-friendly. Walk On Ice is made of 100% natural micronutrients, and you can easily sweep it away in your green area without any worries about plants and vegetation.
Get ready for winter with Walk On Ice instant traction on snow and ice
- Electric Or Gas-Powered Snow Blowers
These are suitable for large areas, and they can easily remove snow from walkways and driveways. They are comparatively easy to use compared to shovels and are not that hard on your back. However, you have to remove the fresh snow, and these blowers are not helpful once the snow converts into a dangerous ice layer.
- Kitty Litter
Kitty litter is another commonly used traction agent. But, it is not that effective in providing increased traction. Since it contains clay that forms a sticky mass after mixing with water, it is a huge mess that needs to be taken care of else it clogs the drain exits.
- Spikes For Shoes To Walk On Ice
The spikes or ice cleats for shoes give you traction and avoid slip and fall incidents while you are out in the snow. But these ice cleats are difficult to slip on and off. These ice cleats are very slippery on hard surfaces like tiles so they become dangerous if you wear them indoors.
Conclusion
The Walk On Ice gives you immediate traction without harming your new concrete and environment. It is handy and works well on different surfaces.
Other Ice Melt Products
Safe Paw
The Original and the #1 Pet and Child Safe Ice Melt for over 20 years. Guaranteed environmentally safe – will not harm waterways and sensitive wetlands. Safe Paw can change how winter affects our planet.
Safe Thaw
Imagine an ice melt you can put down and never worry about. It won’t harm pets, kids and your property. That’s Safe Thaw. Unlike anything else on the market, Safe Thaw can change how winter affects our planet.
