The 5 Biggest Myths of Ice Melt
When the forecast for the weekend is 6 degrees like it is this weekend, wintertime temperatures deserve to be called "ice cold."
As homeowners, we know that temperatures cold enough to bring ice are also cold enough to, ironically, thaw out all those old myths about ice melt.
Top-5 Ice Melt Myths
We talked with Sun Valley Landscaping's Annie Forsyth about these myths. Over the next few minutes we'll uncover five of these myths, as well as give you a quick guide to some of the top-rated ice melts at Home Depot.
Myth #1: Wind chill affects the freeze-thaw cycle of ice melt and salt.
This one was pretty easy. Annie pointed out that only the actual temperature, not the wind-chill temperature, will affect the freeze-thaw cycle of ice melt.
Myth #2: Ice melt damages surfaces
The truth here is that ice melt barely has any interaction with concrete, brick and other ice-covered surfaces. The problem comes when ice melts and refreezes. "It expands and pushes apart the concrete, which may cause damage," Annie said.
Myth #3: Rock salt is the best ice melt because it costs less and is pretty efficient
This myth brings up a classic conundrum. Would you rather pay less and have your ice melt slower, or pay a little more and watch it melt away much quicker? From a cost-to-melt speed perspective, pure calcium chloride (8-10%) is the way to go. "It will save you time and money by melting ice buildup faster," Annie said.
Myth #4: Ice melt with a super-cold rating is the best because it works faster
The rule of thumb for this myth is pretty simple: Always pick the ice melt that corresponds to the temperatures you're experiencing.
"This will vary by state and environment, so you should have an ice melt on hand for above-zero temperatures and save the coldest-temperature ice melt for sub-zero temperature days," Annie pointed out.
Myth #5: All ice melts are "salt-free"
We're not sure how ice melts got their salt-free reputation, but the truth is, Annie said, most ice melts are a blend of salt and other ingredients.
Popular Ice Melts
Annie's post got us in the mood to do a quick review of some of Home Depot's more popular ice melts. Two brands are highly ranked, while one is popular but poorly ranked.
Snow Joe Premium Enviro-Blend with CMA ($20.49 for 50 lbs.)
Snow Joe's Enviro-Blend is a hit with HD customers. The melt gets 5-star reviews. It's rated for -5 degrees and is pet-safe. One reviewer said it melts ice "instantly" and "lasts 2 times longer than the traditional products I have tried."
Bare Ground Polar Thaw Coated Granular ($18.97 for 40 lbs.)
This is Bare Ground's cheapest option in their line of ice melts, and it's also their highest-rated, according to Home Depot customers. It's safe for pets and vegetation and is rated for -20 degrees. A couple of customers complained about the packaging (it's a bag inside of a box), but were impressed with the melt's performance.
Roofmelt has plenty more reviews than its competitors, but the majority of those reviews are bad. The idea behind the melt, customers have said, is good. Roofmelt comes in pucks that you can place in strategic locations so runoff doesn't back up on your roof. In practice, though, it doesn't quite work out like that. A few customers, however, said they were great for ice dams. Roofmelt gets a 3.1-star rating.
