It is that time of year again when snow removal contractors have to start thinking about bulk deicing salt. There are many products out in the market place and it is important to know what you are buying. If you are a consumer and receive bulk deicing salt from a snow removal contractor, it is important to know what you are buying from them. Most consumers are not informed about what products are available and the benefits of each product. There are all types of ice melt products available for bulk or bag purchase. Knowing what you get out of each product and how it performs will save you money and many headaches.
What types of bulk deicing salt products are there?
Most bulk deicing salt products consist of rock salt. Rock salt is a natural product that is mined for use in road salt products. Rock salt in its natural form may consist of white, grey and black colors depending on where the product was found. To the extent that rock salt is processed; will determine the purity and size of the product.
Rock Salt- This products usually comes fresh out of the mine. The product in its natural form will vary from white to black. Most of the processed rock salt will be about 3/4 inch to dust. There is not usually a consistent product generated direct from the mine. The product is natural and untreated. If the product is left to sit for a period of time, it may clump into pieces the size of basket balls. This is by far the cheapest bulk deicing salt product in the market. Most state and local governments use this product for road treatments.
ClearLane® Enhanced Deicer– Enhanced deicer products such as ClearLane® provide optimal melting capabilities. This product is a pre-wet sodium chloride which helps keep the product from sticking together. This product is dyed green so that you can see where the product is being spread. This product is better for the environment and reduces corrosion. We use ClearLane® bulk deicing salt in our operations because it is one of the best products available. Traditional rock salt does not have the melting capabilities that ClearLane® does, because it does not contain magnesium chloride. ClearLane® will melt at a lower temperature than rock salt.