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Does air get under the elevated ramp?
How frequently have you had ice in the past?
How long does the ice last before it will melt?
If you get a LOT of ice often... you'll need way more than grip tread.
If you don't... I'd suggest planning to hunYker down for a day now and then.
Yes air gets under the ramp, it descends from the trailer to level ground about 24 feet. We don't get ice that often, but I am scared. We live in the Uniontown, PA area, between Pittsburgh and Morgantown, and when there's ice, there's ice.
That's probably the best suggestion. And I like the idea of putting some cans of gravel or ice melt along the ramp. in case. I think I'm giving up due to hazards with the gritty paint and strips. Hunkering down and holding on tightly to the handrails in case of emergency sounds like a plan. Thanks, y'all! (Me being a scaredy cat and all...)
Another idea....if the ramp gets morning sunlight at that time of year paint it a dark color. It will absorb more heat from the sun and thaw/dry faster.
Much depends on the angle of the slope. Grit strips aren't really effective under heavy rain or a slick of ice. In our sub-zero winters we spread non-clumping unscented kitty litter over top icy areas for traction and also strew some De Icing salts.
Anyway, it was finally iced up today. My husband risked it and went out. I tried going out but saw the ramp was slippery enough to invoke fear in me. So I turned back. I'm handicapped myself so just didn't have strength to put ice melt down. Even if I made it, I was then worried that the places I might go would be slippery. So -- it was stay-at-home for me today. Maybe tomorrow the ice will be gone. I hope so. Thanks for all your suggestions and comments. My anxiety was high for my husband, but I called a few times to make sure he was not lying on the ground or in the hospital. He wasn't, and made it home. (He broke his hip a while back and is not walking well yet. But! He's not as afraid as I am and so came back triumphant that he did not fall. Even though my blood pressure was probably elevated.)
Another idea....if the ramp gets morning sunlight at that time of year paint it a dark color. It will absorb more heat from the sun and thaw/dry faster.
Good idea, because next spring we are getting it painted. Thanks for that suggestion! It doesn't get that much sunlight, because for one reason, there's a tree shading it (not good because stuff falls from the tree, but we're in a trailer park and they don't allow us to take out the tree). But I will think about painting the ramp a darker color. Good idea.
Good idea, because next spring we are getting it painted. Thanks for that suggestion! It doesn't get that much sunlight, because for one reason, there's a tree shading it (not good because stuff falls from the tree, but we're in a trailer park and they don't allow us to take out the tree). But I will think about painting the ramp a darker color. Good idea.
Is it a deciduous tree? At the time of year ice forms the branches could be bare and let sunlight through. If it's an evergreen maybe they'd let you prune the branches back away from the ramp.
That's a thought. But sounds like too much work for me, I'll check it out. I am handicapped, husband can't do much, he's handicapped. But I'll look into it, a good thought but I don't think I'll be able to get it into action.
There are probably groups or agencies in your area that can assist in setting up solutions. They would have access to solutions that have a track record of success. No one here has enough information to make anything but general suggestions. Someone in the local area who understands local conditions and can access the actual situation would be able to do more.
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