What Makes Road De Icing Unique Than Other Salts

What Is Road De-Icing

Salt is the primary agent for road upkeep during wintertime, keeping it safe and secure for motorists. It is used all over the world for road de-icing as it has several advantages: it is an abundant natural resource, easy to store, economical, and has considerably lower environmental impact than other de-icing agents.

De-Icing Salt is the perfect ratio of fine and coarse salt which is primarily why it is considered the most effective way to keep roadways and streets clear. It has large crystals formations, unlike any other salt, making it take longer to dissolve while also emitting the highest amount of chloride when dissolving. This characteristic marks it as the perfect fit for Road De-Icing. It stays on roads and pavements for a longer period of time providing safer routes for drivers.

Road De-Icing salt may come in many forms; Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, and Calcium Chloride with Sodium Chloride is the most traditionally used.

This Salt is widely used as both a preemptive and curative measure. Although, ideally, it is applied before the materialization of ice on roads to facilitate the formation of brine that helps in melting the ice quickly. These thin sheets of ice are the highest accident-causing issue in countries with colder weather. It is reported that for every $1 expensed on winter road upkeep the economy saves up to $8, keeping in account legal expenses, health care, human tragedy, paralyzed economic activity, road blocks, etc. It reduces road accidents by 88%, injuries and cost of accidents by 85%.

What are the benefits of Road De-Icing Salt?

One of the main benefits of road de-icing salt is it can help dissolve the snow from the roads to ensure safety and security to the people.

This depression is reliant on the amount of salt dispensed. About 12% of the entire world’s salt consumption is used on the maintenance of roads in winter seasons as it is the most cost-effective and efficient method to melt snow and avoid snow blocks.  Developed countries primarily use Road De-Icing salt owing to the limited risk and larger profits involved with it. Salt, often mixed with sand and gravel, is dispersed on the fields and roads through equipment while making sure the size of salt is no more than 6 mm to 8 mm to prevent obstructing and damaging the salt spraying machines.

It is exported in bulk loads for larger surface areas and industrial applications. Because of its stable nature and lack of an expiration date, it can be stored and stocked for a longer period of time if kept in a dry location making it a great tool for backup in case regions face heavier snow than expected. Storage of such salt is absolutely necessary for such areas because if demand increases unexpectedly, prices on the spot market increase immensely.

Road De-Icing Side Effects

However, it is not without its demerits. The most common side effects of road de-icing salt are skin irritations, corrosion of roads, vegetation stress, and minor rashes which may lead to a ‘salt burn’. Therefore, its use should be limited to professionals to ensure its safe and appropriate use.

All of the main benefits of road de-icing salt make it worthy enough to purchase it. Road De-Icing salt is used in large amounts in North America. About 20 million tons of salt is dispersed annually on the roads of USA. Fortunately, it has a comparatively lower environmental impact if proper codes of practice are engaged such as avoiding usage on vegetation, switching between types of deicing agents, using only where necessary such as risky sections of roads, roads with larger capacities and avoiding usage on pavements whenever possible since frequent usage on sidewalks has been known to cause salt fretting. Therefore, the common objective should always be: “As much as necessary, as little as possible”.

The use of road de-icing salt has been widespread over the years, mainly because it’s affordable, easy to apply, and effective. It works when you lower the freezing point of water.

In winter, roads may be covered by ice and snow due to harsh weather conditions. Road safety can be put at risk by ice and snow coverings, resulting in significant damage and loss. Salt is often sprinkled on the streets and sidewalks in winter when the roads are poor.

The road de-icing salt or road salt is a naturally occurring mineral form of table salt. Salt indeed turns ice into liquid, but there are other reasons for salting the ice. The goal isn’t to completely melt the ice but to break the bond between pavement and ice.

Why use Road De-Icing Salt?

A frozen surface forms when water reaches Zero degrees Celsius, and it includes ice on roadways too. De-icing salt is used to lower the freezing point of water through a process called freezing point depression. That’s why it’s essential to use Road De-icing Salt to de-freeze the ice.

How does Road De-Icing Salt Work?

The chemical reaction that occurs when road de-icing salt works is straightforward and fundamental. Adding salt to ice reduces its freezing point.

For freezing point depression to happen, there has to be at least a tiny bit of water on the road. For this reason, trucks often prepare road surfaces with brine (a salt-water mixture) before snow and ice.

You can’t typically expect much difference if you spread road salt on dry roads. Additionally, road salt prevents the adhesion of ice. This way, it helps prevent accidents and ensures road safety.

Should You Buy Road De-Icing Salt?

Road de-icing salt has been proven effective in preventing accidents. An American Highway Users Alliance study found that a 10% improvement in road surface friction reduces crashes by 20%. Additionally, the study found that de-icing with salt may reduce accidents by 93%, i.e., nearly all of them. Moreover, salt has a low price tag and is a good de-icer.

Salt is beneficial for snow removal and traffic safety because it allows snow to be easily removed. Consequently, fewer accidents and insurance claims are made, fuel economy improves (because tires are gripper), and reduced absenteeism.

The government departments use this salt to clear the ice off streets, but different private sector organizations and individuals can also buy it. The bottom line is that salt melts ice on slippery roads efficiently and is cost-effective, which is why almost all states use it in the streets to prevent collisions, injuries, and deaths