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There are so many exciting things about winter. The holiday celebrations, sledding with friends, drinking hot chocolate, and so many other activities make this season a favorite for many. However, there are a few inconveniences that come with these winter months, including snow and ice.
Icicles and snowflakes are beautiful until they’re making your driveway precarious or completely inaccessible. Ice can be particularly dangerous, causing car crashes and bad falls every single year. A bad run-in with ice can quickly ruin what would otherwise be a perfect season.
A simple and easy way to protect yourself from winter dangers is withice melt. This one product can make a world of difference. This guide will show you everything you need to know about ice melt and how it will help you create a winter wonderland:
The name ice melt is pretty straightforward. This chemical compound is used to melt ice on walking surfaces that can become treacherous during the winter. Clear walkways lead to fewer injuries and mishaps.
Ice melt is used more as a preventative measure than for ice removal. If your sidewalk is covered by a sheet of ice already, ice melt alone will take a long time to make the pathway clear again. When sprinkled on the concrete before a winter storm, however, ice has a difficult time forming in the first place.
First and foremost, ice melt should be used to keep pedestrians safe. If you’ve ever slipped and fallen on the ice, you know exactly how painful this can be. This is particularly important for elderly folks who need to walk to their car in the morning and need a clear walkway.
For businesses, ice melt should be seriously considered due to liability concerns. If a customer falls and gets injured outside of your place of business, you could be at risk of a lawsuit. Additionally, taking the time to lay out ice melt is a simple gesture of care and attention toward every customer you have.
Last but not least, ice melt is an excellent preventative measure. If you don’t use ice melt, snow and ice can develop thick layers that are extremely difficult to remove. By the time you do get about clearing the sidewalk or driveway, you’re going to have a pretty lousy time.
There are several varieties of ice melt, each with its own pros and cons to consider. Let’s start with the different forms that ice melt can be found in. Generally, ice melt is found in a solid form but with varying shapes. Some manufacturers believe that their particular mold is more effective than others, but you’ll have to take their word for it.
You can also find ice melt in liquid form. This type of ice melt is used as a spray, so it’s great for covering areas quickly and evenly. Liquid ice melt lasts longer and works faster, but is often more expensive and more difficult to cover a large area.
The chemical compound of your ice melt is also an important distinction. For example, PF Harris’Polar Melt product uses magnesium chloride to be both effective and pet-friendly. This ice melt uses a rounded shape as opposed to the sharp crystals of other products that can cut into your pet’s feet. Magnesium chloride is also less corrosive, doing less damage to your sidewalk and yard.
Now that you know a little more about ice melt, how do you go about selecting the right product? Which type of ice melt will be best for you? While there’s no inherently wrong answer, a few factors might convince you to lean one way over another.
For example, how severe are the winters where you live? If you have a hard time staying on top of ice formations, you might want to elect for a solid form of ice melt rather than the liquid kind. You might even consider combining the two types if winters are especially bad where you live.
Other factors to consider are if products are pet-friendly, environmentally conscious, or are simply more cost-effective. Polar Melt Ice Melt checks all of those boxes, so it’s a great product for anyone to try this winter.
Along with your ice melt of choice, you should consider adding a couple of accessories to maximize the effect of your ice melt. This will maximize the usage you get out of your ice melt, making it more effective and saving you money in the long run.
Using a tool to spread ice melt makes it easier to cover the entire area evenly. Ascooper or a sprayer will create a more even spread than if you were just using your hands.
At the very least, make sure you wear gloves when dealing with ice melt. Not only will it be cold outside, but it will also protect your hands from the chemicals you are dealing with. If you’re spreading ice melt with nothing but your hands, some disposable gloves will work perfectly.
A final note about using your ice melt is to be wary about how much you use. Many people think that applying more ice melt means that results will come faster, but that’s not the case. In fact, the more ice melt you lay out, the greater the chance that you kill the edges of your lawn or leave stains on the pavement. Start with a conservative spread and then make adjustments as necessary.
If snow and ice are giving you the winter blues, then grab some ice melt to make these cold months more bearable. Businesses and property owners should take particular note of this guide to protect their guests and properties from the dangers and inconveniences that come with ice this time of year.