When to Salt for Snow?

People living in colder climates of Canada have the chance to get two feelings when it is about to snow. The first snowfall gives a sense of excitement, but after that, you remember that this snow has to be shovelled to keep you safe from slipping.

So Should I Salt Before it Snows?

In colder climate countries, we observe people tossing out salt to melt snow. Snow falls like fluffy flakes, but due to the foot traffic, the snow packs down into dangerous slippery ice. To avoid slips and falls, you should put salt out even before the harsh winter snowfalls arrive. The salt is used not only for the snow but also for the ice that is formed.

Removing snow and ice from the driveways is a hard, intensive process with cold and wet conditions. The labour also finds it very difficult to remove the salt in these conditions. It is also very dangerous to leave the ice as it is on the slippery driveways.

So even before the snow falls, it is suggested to pretreat driveways with salt and other deicing agents and prevent the snow from freezing into ice. Anti-icing agents lower the freezing point of snow, and it is easy for you to remove the snow before freezing.

Why Salt Melts Snow?

Salt is an essential component in most of the deicing agents made today. Deicing agents like Rock salt, Calcium chloride, Magnesium chloride, and others have small traces of salt in them. In cold climatic conditions, salt is spread across the sideways and walkways to melt snow or ice accumulated. So why does salt melt the snow?

Salt is the best ice melter because it causes freezing point depression. This means that salt helps in lowering the freezing point of water and consequently stops the further formation of ice from water. Water in its pure state melts at 0°C, or 32° F. Salt lowers this freezing point forcing the ice or snow to melt and also further freezing is prevented.

However, it must be noted that salt alone cannot melt ice or snow. Water is required to dissolve the salt, and the melting process starts when this solution is used. Snow and ice are always covered with a thin film of water. Salt dissolves immediately in the thin water layer and starts working.

Now, most of you get a doubt of why other chemicals like magnesium, calcium, potassium are added to ice melters? These ingredients help in further decreasing the freezing points. These components also help in reducing the corrosive nature of the salt.

How Much is a Bag of Salt for Snow?

While the winter is approaching, most of the contractors responsible for the deicing of parks, walkways, and driveways are looking to stock up salt. Salt bags are available in various sizes and quantities based on your requirements. If you are a distributor of bulk salt and provide salt to your customers regularly, then you can order salt based on your needs.

Salt is packed in bags of 20kg, 40 kgs, or based on your requirement. We also provide specially blended salt in bags and all salt products are environmentally certified and mean no harm to the ecosystem.

Where to Buy Salt for Snow?

For decades Canada Salt Group Ltd has been the trusted supplier of high-quality snow salt across North America. We can deliver snow salt bags based on your requirements and pickup facility is available for selected cities. Contact our sales team for more details.