{"id":3012,"date":"2019-02-19T15:44:07","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T21:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/?p=1366"},"modified":"2019-02-19T15:44:07","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T21:44:07","slug":"the-different-types-of-sidewalk-salt-and-when-to-use-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/2019\/02\/19\/the-different-types-of-sidewalk-salt-and-when-to-use-them\/","title":{"rendered":"The different types of sidewalk salt and when to use them"},"content":{"rendered":"

With several weeks of winter left, and then the transition to spring, salt could still play a big part in keeping your property safe. Part of being prepared is knowing the specifics of the deicers you\u2019re using on your driveway or sidewalk. Each type of deicer has different melting properties and uses. Consider all factors when choosing the product best for you.
\nThe most common types of ice melts on the market today are chloride based.<\/strong>
\nSodium chloride,<\/strong> most commonly known as rock salt, is the most frequently used type of salt, probably because of how inexpensive it is. Working in temperatures as low as 20 degrees, this isn\u2019t the most effective and it\u2019s known to leave a white power behind.
\nCalcium chloride <\/strong>is probably the most effective salt-based product, because it works up to -25 degrees. Be careful when using calcium chloride. It\u2019s known to cause harm to plants and grass and sometimes it even damages concrete if used excessively.
\nPotassium chloride <\/strong>has been deemed as the safer chloride-based option, working in temperatures as low as 12 degrees. It doesn\u2019t work as well as other melting products, but people pick this product because it doesn\u2019t harm vegetation.
\nLooking for products that aren\u2019t chloride based?<\/strong>
\nSodium acetate <\/strong>works well in colder temperatures, as low as zero degrees. Its most common use is on airplane runways.
\nCalcium magnesium <\/strong>acetate<\/strong> works in colder temperatures as well. Along with sodium acetate, this product is considered environmentally friendly and has a lesser chance of harming animals or vegetation.
\nEthylene glycol <\/strong>works in extreme cold, up to -58 degrees. However, this product is incredibly harmful for people and animals. Use extreme caution with this product, it can be deadly if ingested.
\nA huge concern when picking salt is knowing what is and isn\u2019t safe for children and pets. <\/strong>
\nThere really isn\u2019t a fully \u201csafe\u201d salt choice; all salts are harmful if ingested and can cause skin irritation. Even if not ingested directly, there are other ways salt can be ingested. Remember as you\u2019re spreading salt out, you may also be getting it in nearby snow which your children or pets may decide to eat.
\nMany salts say they\u2019re \u201cpet friendly,\u201d but that isn\u2019t always the case. It\u2019s extremely important to look at labels when selecting salt \u2013 try and find a product that doesn\u2019t have any warning labels on it. If something isn\u2019t safe for humans, it isn\u2019t safe for pets either. Propylene Glycol based products are generally the safest product to have around pets.
\nIf you\u2019re concerned about your children or pets, look for products that don\u2019t contain salt or chloride. These are less harmful.
\nTry mixing salt with some sand to decrease the amount of salt you\u2019re using this winter. Although sand won\u2019t melt ice like salt does, the combination will help increase traction.
\nAs always, it\u2019s important to read warning labels and follow manufacturer directions when using these products. When picking a deicer, take all factors into consideration and pick the product best for you and your family. There\u2019s no such thing as being too safe, always wash your hands after using deicers and keep a close eye on children and pets.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With several weeks of winter left, and then the transition to spring, salt could still play a big part in keeping your property safe. Part of being prepared is knowing the specifics of the deicers you\u2019re using on your driveway or sidewalk. Each type of deicer has different melting properties and uses. Consider all factors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3012"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3012\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flagshipinsuranceservices.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}