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Don't use de-icers on your new drive, sidewalk or patio! Would you use acid or a rough abrasive material to clean your fixtures? Would you use a strong, caustic soap to clean your new carpet? You know you need to be very careful with the products you use to clean your home on the inside, but did you know that you need to be gentle with items and products you use on your concrete? The concrete around your home also need special care. The first winter, you should not use any de-icing chemicals. If your concrete is slippery, plain sand is a great skid-resistent material to use.
A sealer can be applied to the concrete in order to help protect it. There are many different types of sealers you may use, depending on the needs of the concrete. After the first winter, a de-icer containing sodium chloride (salt) may usually be used. Never use a de-icer containing ammonium sulphate or ammonium nitrate. Although many products state on their packaging that these chemicals may be used as a de-icer, they have a tendency to dissolve quickly, causing damage your concrete.
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Excerpt from: Federal Trade Commission Announces Enforcement Policy Regarding Deceptive Representations of Chemical Products Used to Melt Snow and Ice "The Federal Trade Commission has investigated reports of damage to concrete surfaces caused by chemical products marketed for use in melting snow and ice on sidewalks, driveways, and other concrete surfaces. Such products contain and rely on calcium chloride, ammonium sulfate, nitrates, or other chemicals for their effectiveness. Although these products are often represented to be safe for use on concrete, it appears that their use may result in flaking and scaling of concrete surfaces to which they are applied." Consumers should be alert to the possibility that use of chemical products to melt snow and ice may cause damage to their concrete surfaces, contrary to representations made of such products..." "The commission believes that each manufacturer and distributor of these products should carefully review its advertising catalogs, labels and other media, and determine whether it is complying with the guidelines set forth in this statement." |