Does Calcium Chloride Ice Melt Damage Concrete

Ice melt can make your winter safer and more manageable.

Does calcium chloride ice melt damage concrete.

By using a potassium chloride product you extend the time available for more melted ice water to drain off your concrete or evaporate resulting in less water being absorbed by the concrete. This is a hygroscopic compound. Calcium chloride and magnesium same family as calcium work against the calcium in concrete sidewalks and parking structures through a process called lon exchange1 where calcium from ice melt exchanges places with calcium in concrete. It s much easier to replace a driveway than a hip bone.

Most de icers for concrete are chloride combinations usually sodium rock salt or magnesium. For example ice melter containing calcium chloride tends to re freeze more quickly compared to ice melter containing potassium chloride. It is less harmful to concrete and vegetation. In fact ice removal is sometimes required for rentals or public properties.

So it absorbs water and then generates heat as it dissolves up to 140 f. It works by preventing snow particles from sticking to each other on the concrete surface. While opinions are not always the same most experts agree that calcium chloride is the best product for those seeking an ice melt that is safe for concrete. Calcium chloride can cause skin irritation and is high concentrations chemically attack concrete potassium chloride limited to range of temperature use unless mixed with other chemicals magnesium chloride releases less chloride and in general less toxic to plants.

The use of deicers to help speed up snow removal and prevent ice more than makes up for the slight damage it may cause to concrete. As opposed to other ice melt products it does not form brine like salts.