People, PLEASE Salt Your Walkway.

[LadyAndreca]

I have a few who are trying but folks water softner salt tablets while does get rid of some ice doesn't cut it.

When the hardware store runs out of ice melt (and yes, we did during the last big snow), people just grab whatever's on hand. I give them a couple points for trying, at least.

[Geek King]

Water softener pellets will do just fine if you crush them with a hammer to increase surface area. Also, the problem we've been having is it has kept too cold for salt to work. It has to get up to around 28-32 F before it really does much more than provide some traction.

[cinema guy]

Cat litter works too - it doesn't really melt the ice but does provide grip.

[Magpie]

Water softener pellets will do just fine if you crush them with a hammer to increase surface area. Also, the problem we've been having is it has kept too cold for salt to work. It has to get up to around 28-32 F before it really does much more than provide some traction.

Unless I've got my conversions wrong, isn't that the temperature at which there isn't much need to put down ice anymore? I thought that by definition 0F is the temperature at which ice will stop melting from the use of salt. I agree that it won't do a lot of good close to that temperature, but people use salt all the time here, and it's rarely that warm in the winter. I know you can't use salt in cold climates, but an average temperature of -10C in the winter is still salt territory.

[protege]

Cat litter works too - it doesn't really melt the ice but does provide grip.

But, when the ice *does* melt, you're left with a mess. Cat litter, depending on type, can stain floors or concrete.

[Geek King]

I know you can't use salt in cold climates, but an average temperature of -10C in the winter is still salt territory.

Its not that the salt doesn't work at all, but more to do with the speed it works. The colder you go, the longer it takes for the same amount of salt to do the same amount of work. It needs to be reasonably close to the freezing point to really make a good job of clearing the roads/sidewalks in a short period of time. If you're willing to wait for it, I'm sure salt will eventually clear things at lower temperatures, but usually the weather patterns have changed by then, around here anyway.

[Magpie]

It needs to be reasonably close to the freezing point to really make a good job of clearing the roads/sidewalks in a short period of time. If you're willing to wait for it, I'm sure salt will eventually clear things at lower temperatures, but usually the weather patterns have changed by then, around here anyway.

Well if you're using it to clear the sidewalks that explains a lot. It also explains why some people seem to think that they can get away with salt instead of elbow grease around here. We never understood why people don't realise that salt is supposed to be put down on a dry surface BEFORE it snows, but this would explain it.

And yes, the weather here changes that quickly too. The sun goes down and all of a sudden it gets cold! I'll go out mid-day and be too warm, and then when I go out at 4:00pm I get reminded of the fact that having sunshine makes things warmer. I really wish that I could say that this only happens at the beginning of the winter.

[VenomX]

We never understood why people don't realise that salt is supposed to be put down on a dry surface BEFORE it snows, but this would explain it.

Never heard that before. I have always used it and seen others use it sfter it has snowed...