Find the Right Deicer for You
Consumer Reports recently conducted a comparison of six ice-melt products. We thought that we would use this as a basis for helping our readers choose the right deicer to protect themselves and others from slipping on ice this winter. Many of these products can be found at hardware stores and supermarkets. We advise stocking up on the correct ice-melt product now in anticipation for the coming winter. If you’ll remember, last year many states, including Pennsylvania, had widespread ice-melt shortages.
Calcium chloride can be used for residential and commercial purposes. You can expect to pay $10 to $19 per 50lbs of calcium chloride. Calcium chloride is more effective than the less expensive sodium chloride and is fast-acting, so it is great for those in a time crunch. Damage to asphalt and concrete surfaces is minimal to moderate, and when over-applied, calcium chloride can damage grass and plants as well. The effective temperature of calcium chloride, which is the lowest temperature at which this ice melt is effective within 15-20 minutes, is -25° F.
Calcium magnesium acetate is intended to be used for heavy-duty commercial purposes, such as the deicing of parking garages and airports. It is typically $20 or more per 50lbs and has an effective temperature of 20° F. It can moderately damage concrete, but is less corrosive than chloride products. Other than that, it is environmentally friendly. This product is best used by contractors. If you are just looking for a deicer to use for your home driveway, walkway or steps, this is not the product for you.
Magnesium chloride is similarly priced to calcium chloride at $10 to $19 per 50lb bag. It is also good for both residential and commercial uses and is a suggested ice-melt for gardeners and pet owners, as well as those in a time crunch. With an effective temperature of -13° F, it is one of the fastest acting ice-melts, along with calcium chloride. Although environmentally friendly and generally safe around pets, it can cause moderate to significant damage to asphalt and concrete and can be lethal if ingested by pets that suffer from kidney disease. Like calcium chloride, it can also cause damage to plants when over-applied.
Potassium chloride is another suggested ice-melt product for residential homes with pets, as long as you are not in a time crunch. Its effective temperature is 25° F. It is also one of the more expensive ice-melt products, generally priced at $20 or more per 50lbs. The benefits of this deicer are that it is environmentally friendly and generally safe around pets. However, as with many other ice-melt products that are considered generally safe around pets, it is lethal if ingested by pets that suffer from kidney disease. This product causes minimal to moderate asphalt and concrete damage and can damage grass and plants if over-applied. It is generally not used for commercial purposes.
Sodium chloride/ rock salt is one of the most inexpensive ice-melt products at $10 or less per 50 lbs. It has an effective temperature of 20° F. This is a good product for bargain hunters. However, be aware that it can damage asphalt, concrete, brick, stone, metal, grass, plants, and wood decks. It should not be used on concrete that is less than 1 year old. This product should also not be used by pet owners since it is lethal to pets if ingested. If you have a pet and are looking for an inexpensive deicer, we recommend urea.
Urea (carbonyl diamide) is a great ice-melt product for residential homes with pets. Another advantage or urea is that the damage to asphalt and concrete is almost non-existent. It is also one of the most inexpensive products we’ve reviewed, costing $10 or less per 50lbs. Its effective temperature is 10°F, although it functions better at 25° to 30° F. In addition to being safe around pets, it is environmentally friendly. Like many ice-melt products, it can damage plants when over-applied. Urea is best for pet owners and gardeners. As a precaution- although urea is effective as a deicer, it is less effective than many of the other ice-melt products reviewed, due in part to its relatively high effective temperature. If you have significant amounts of ice, or ice in crucial walkway or step areas, you are better off to invest in one of the more effective ice-melt products.
We hope we have been able to provide you with some guidance on which ice-melt product is best suited for your needs this winter. Regardless of whether or not you will be utilizing a deicer, it is always a good practice to be on the lookout for potentially dangerous icy conditions along your path. Accidents caused from slipping on ice can be bad, so make sure to be careful and watch your step!
