CLEARFIELD – Clearfield has brand new sidewalks, and the community wants to keep them looking that way. But an enemy lurks just around the corner ready to turn those new sidewalks into old rubble. That enemy is “salt” and other ice melting chemicals.
Most deicing salt manufacturers actually recommend that ice melters should not be used on concrete that is less than one year old. Poured concrete needs time to cure and seal, so caution is needed when treating it during the first winter.
According to the American Concrete Institute (ACI), which is a leading United States concrete authority, several chemicals used in ice melter formulas actually attack concrete.
However, the most common damage to concrete due to “salt” is caused by the freezing and thawing of water/brine that soaks into the porous upper surface of the concrete.
When the deicing agent wears off or the temperature falls down below its ability to work the water and brine solution re-freezes in the concrete and expands. Since water expands by almost 10 percent when it freezes, this expansion creates internal pressure that stresses the concrete, causing it to fail.
Although sidewalks must be kept clear of snow and ice for safety reasons, great care must be taken in order to keep those nice sidewalks from becoming cracked, chipped and deteriorated.
Instead of deicing salt, remove snow and ice as quickly as possible and consider using sand, fine gravel or other gritty material to increase traction.
Of course, if there is a safety concern and you must use ice melter, use as little as possible and promptly remove all slush and water that develops on the concrete, and remove any salt residue left over.
The take-home message:
- You can help maintain the concrete by shoveling snow from your sidewalks. By keeping the snow cleared, there is less chance that it will compact down freezing into the surface and accelerate the freeze/that cycle. The fewer number of times that water enters concrete and freezes, the less likely that it will become damaged.
- Use a plastic shovel instead of a metal one. Bent/sharp corners of a worn metal shovel can damage the surface of concrete.
- Is it OK to use a deicer on new sidewalks? The short answer is no. The use of “salt” can be very harmful to new concrete and will eventually, if not immediately, cause damage.
This message is brought to you as a courtesy of Clearfield Wholesale Paper.