Snow melt choices

[alexinPA]

What snow melt doesn't freeze if piled outside in the open? I'd like to bring a few yards for my driveway and store outside. From what i understand everything freezes up...
Any ideas?

 

[5030]

We use pet friendly ice melter and it comes in a 5 gallon bucket with a snap on lid. Ice don't bother me at all except on steps or on the deck as I don't want to slip and fall.

Far as I know, all ice mitigating compounds including brine, will freeze and become ineffective below 30 degrees (f), Of that don't include sand which is not only environmentally friendly but pet friendly and can clog storm drains quite nicely as well.

Our prime concern is our dogs and the bottoms of their feet in the winter.

 

[5030]

Used to be Tractor Supply sold the pet friendly ice melter, but no more.

 

[leonz]

What snow melt doesn't freeze if piled outside in the open? I'd like to bring a few yards for my driveway and store outside. From what i understand everything freezes up...
Any ideas?

Buy a bunch of buckets from lowes and a truckload (<10 tons) of concrete sand and
fill the buckets up half way and keep them in a warm place that is the only way to manage it.
You need to have a place to scrub your boots too when they have warmed up and melted off.

 

[nyone]

The pet friendly stuff just isnt salt. Its mag chloride or sodium chloride. Mag chloride is the same stuff people use to put in tractor tires. You can get it in flake form for alot cheaper than in a bucket.

Prety much everything is going to need to be covered.

 

[dodge man]

I use solar salt in my water softener and it works good on an icy driveway. It comes in 40 pound bags,about $7 per bag. If you use 40 tons a year it’s not going to be cost effective but if just a few hundred pounds it would work well. I’ve found it doesn’t take much, my driveway is 600 feet paved and 20 pounds or less works on it if it’s glare ice.

 

[LouNY]

The pet friendly stuff just isnt salt. Its mag chloride or sodium chloride. Mag chloride is the same stuff people use to put in tractor tires. You can get it in flake form for alot cheaper than in a bucket.

Prety much everything is going to need to be covered.

I hadn't heard of anyone using magnesium chloride for liquid loading of tires, I have heard and have loaded tires with calcium chloride.
At $15 to$50 per bag it isn't inexpensive. I try and keep a bag or two around for when it gets real cold as it will melt ice long after salt quits working.

 

[crazyjake8493]

We use pet friendly ice melt on our porch and sidewalk. I used to use the cheap rock salt on the driveway but stopped that years ago once I started planting cherry bushes and small trees and flowers along the driveway.