| Ice Melters |
Deicer |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| Sodium Chloride (Rock Salt) |
Low Cost Readily Available
Handles Easily
Effective Ice Melter |
Corrosive Can contribute to damage of low quality concrete
Effective only to 5 degrees F |
| Calcium Chloride |
Fast Acting Offers some
concrete
protection when use in
pellet form
Effective to -25 degrees F |
Corrosive Difficult to handle
May leave oily residue |
| Potassium Chloride |
Perceived to be less damaging
to vegetation |
Corrosive Can contribute to
damage of low quality concrete
Little ice melting capacity |
| Magnesium Chloride |
Fast Acting Offers some concrete
protection
Effective to -25 degrees F. |
Corrosive May leave oily residue |
| Calcium Magnesium |
Less corrosive than acetate
chloride deicers |
Very little ice melting capacity Effective
only to 10 degrees F |
| Urea |
Low Cost Less corrosive than
acetate chloride deicers |
Can contribute to damage of low
quality concrete |
