The use of liquid applications for de-icing and anti-icing is nothing new. It has been used out West and in the Central US for many years. There are several liquids that can be used for snow/ice control, each of them with pro's and con's just like rock salt. Through seasons of trial and error with various solutions, we have found the answer for the snow/ice contractor that gets your lots down to water without the high cost and limited availability of traditional rock salt applications.
The application of liquid solutions prior to the storm event.
The application of liquid solutions after plowing has occurred.
It is important to understand the above terms. Anti-Icing and De-Icing solutions are different because they are trying to accomplish different tasks. We had great success using a solution for Anti-Icing that prevented any bond to form with the pavement.
The application of liquids can also perform much in the same manner as traditional rock salt applications. Instead of running V-Box salters after the plowing operation, we used a solution of salt brine (NOT well brine or Calcium Chloride) that when manufactured to the eutectic point (lowest possible melt point) would melt the residuals encountered with plowing and leave the lot wet. It is important to remember that rock salt in solid form has NO melting capability, it must dissolve (brine out) before it can begin to attack the ice/snow. When you spray the salt brine it is working immediately and does not have the corrosive properties of Calcium Chloride nor the problems of re-freeze as Calcium Chloride does.
