Maintenance of facilities includes clearing away snow and ice from walks, drives and entries to buildings. But overspreading too much ice melt may damage surfaces or lead to tracked-in contamination of surfaces.
Spreading ice melt properly is crucial to maintaining safety and protecting your investment. Follow these tips for effective use of ice melt that won’t damage concrete or cause tracking issues.
Choosing the Right Product
Facility managers depend on ice melt products to keep their facilities safe for tenants and visitors, but must use these chemicals carefully as using incorrect products can damage surfaces and cause toxic chemical burns on hands.
There are various ice melt crystals and granules on the market, ranging from rock salt (sodium chloride) to calcium chloride-magnesium chloride blends, with melting temperatures varying depending on melting temperature as well as effects on concrete structures, vegetation, skin contact etc. Furthermore, some products contain moisture-drawing agents which draw moisture out of the ground causing harm to plants as well as potential exposure when handled directly by humans.
Choose an ice melt product wisely can protect surfaces such as asphalt, sidewalks and driveways from being damaged by frost heaves and can reduce how often you have to reapply material in cold weather, saving both time and money. Choose a product without nitrogen and phosphorus as these substances can harm vegetation as well as pollute waterways; always read and follow application directions on an ice melt product in order to determine an accurate dosage amount.
Spreading the Right Amount
Land or sea, melting glaciers contribute to rising ocean levels. Greenland ice melt rates are four times faster than 2003 while Antarctic Ice Sheet accounts for 20% of global sea level rise; therefore it is vital that we pay attention.
Introduce students to Ice Investigation Journals, cups of crushed ice and thermometers so they can observe what happens as water levels in each container drop as ice melts away. Encourage students to predict where the remaining warmth will take its course once all available warmth has been consumed by melting.
Remind students that ice melt products, which typically contain chloride (salt), can enter runoff and soil, damaging plants, harming pets’ paws and leading to digestive issues for animals. Therefore, less is better when applying ice melt products – using a spreader is one effective way for staff to ensure only recommended amounts are applied thereby eliminating waste while helping avoid tracking or burning vegetation with excess product left behind on vehicles or being tracked onto buildings or burning vegetation.
Preparing the Surface
Before applying ice melt, it is crucial to prepare the surface in order to avoid damage. Before beginning spreading, check weather and temperature forecasts as early application of ice melt can reduce how often it needs to be spread as well as save on product costs.
When using granular ice melt, it is essential that only enough is applied at one time to achieve de-icing action. Too much can damage surfaces and become an unruly mess; over-application may even reduce effectiveness as de-icing action is reduced.
As snow and ice begin to melt, they expose the underlying concrete or pavement and expose its interior. When water seeps into and refreezes in these exposed areas, pitting and cracking of surfaces are likely. Furthermore, melting can damage masonry, concrete and metal without being protected with barriers or shields, often known as surface damage or surface deterioration – these forms of damage often referred to as surface deterioration; but there are ways you can mitigate these problems and protect vital assets.
Cleaning Up
When it comes to using ice melt, less is often more. Facility cleaning teams should carefully follow the product instructions to avoid overusing it and tracking unwanted amounts into buildings unnecessarily. Excessive usage may also damage vegetation beneath and near areas where ice melt is used.
Use of appropriate ice melt can help protect surfaces such as concrete and asphalt from damage, but it is still crucial to clean up any residual product tracked into buildings. Track mats at entrances may help limit how much ice melt is tracked into an establishment; however, it must still be monitored throughout the day, and vacuumed up using an industrial canister or backpack vacuum with direct suction capabilities on a regular basis to remove any remaining residue.
Storing any leftover ice melt in an airtight bag or container away from moisture, air, and sunlight is highly recommended to prolong its effectiveness while mitigating its adverse environmental impact. Doing this will allow its full potential to shine through while simultaneously protecting the surrounding ecosystem from degradation.