Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We had neglible amounts of some snow dusting the last couple years. I have a container (plastic) of snow melt and it's pretty much a solid brick. Anything I can do? I tried a long handled screwdriver to break it up but not much luck. Is this something that needs to be purchased annual "in case"? - also, is it safe to put the rock hard container in the trash? TIA
Location: Unlike most on CD, I'm not afraid to give my location: Milwaukee, WI.
1,789 posts, read 4,152,345 times
Reputation: 4092
Yep, just throw it in the trash. Any of these salt/ice melter products, over time, will absorb moisture and get the chunks and rocks you are referring to. And indeed they can be hard to break up. Even with a hammer as the rocks jump around as you strike them. I have found these products get that way over time even in an unopened bag.
I no longer stock up on the stuff. I just get a couple of new bags (40-50 lbs) at start of winter. If I need more, I can always get it somewhere. If I have some leftover come spring, I roll the bag closed as tightly as possible, tie it closed with twine or something, and most of the product will be usable the next year. Where I live, I am guaranteed to need ice melter every winter. Even early spring. You are in a milder climate and don't know from year to year, but you should always have at least a small container of it, like the small ready to pour jugs I've seen. The big bags like I get are likely to be overkill for you unless you have a lot of area to cover outside.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,550 posts, read 81,103,317 times
Reputation: 57750
I grabbed 2 50 lb. bags when I saw them at Costco in October. So far with only one light snow followed by dry and cold (9F-25F for 6 days) I have not needed to use any of it. A couple of year ago I went through 100 lbs.
I keep it in a plastic bin that seals tight and rarely get more than a light crust across the top layer that breaks up pretty easily.
We had neglible amounts of some snow dusting the last couple years. I have a container (plastic) of snow melt and it's pretty much a solid brick. Anything I can do? also, is it safe to put the rock hard container in the trash? TIA
You could always add hot water to make "brine". Works great as a pre-treatment poured over asphalt to keep the snow from sticking.
I never buy or use salt/ice melt. Our winters are so long & cold I'd end up turning the surrounding soil into an alkali pan by spring. Trying to keep walkways clear of ice is pretty futile. If I buy anything, it might be a couple of bags of clean, coarse play sand, but I live near on the coast so usually dig and haul a few 5 gallon buckets home from a beach every fall. The buckets live inside by the appropriate doors so the moist sand doesn't freeze into a bucket-shaped brick. This plus a selection of quickly deployable shoe cleats and I'm set!
Last edited by Parnassia; 01-16-2024 at 02:35 PM..
Last edited by beckerd2; 01-16-2024 at 07:46 PM..
Reason: abc
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
j/k
