When the snow is cleared and the guests are near, you have one more job to do: melt the remaining ice from your potentially treacherous front walk.
Paul LaRoche, store manager at Libertyville’s Ace hardware, acknowledges all ice melting products have some disadvantages while doing the job they’re purchased for.
Old-fashioned rock salt (sodium chloride) is the least expensive and most available product. It works well above 5 degrees but can cause damage to concrete and vegetation.
Calcium and magnesium chloride work to temperatures below zero, melt ice faster than rock salt and are generally less harsh on concrete and vegetation.
Potassium chloride and urea are more environmentally friendly but work well only in temperatures above 20 degrees.
