Snow removal from your concrete driveway is as easy as employing elbow grease and a snow shovel, right? Wrong! It does not melt ice and will not prevent your driveway from becoming an ice skating rink. Read on for must know tips.
Snow Removal and the Concrete Driveway
Driving up the winding driveway to the Mammoth Lakes condo is always an adventure. Occasionally the snow removal truck comes by and piles mountains of snow left and right, but the truck cannot melt ice. Considering the steep grade of the driveway, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Fortunately, there are some tricks to employ.
Mark Your Territory
Before a snow shovel ever touches your concrete driveway – especially if it artfully flows – mark off the borders. This protects dormant flowerbeds from hatchet jobs. If you live up in the mountains and your firewood or propane tank is pretty close to your concrete driveway, make sure you mark the location! If your snow removal takes out your propane tank or a fire hydrant, the best way to get rid of ice and snow on your driveway will become a very minor concern.
Melt Ice like the Professionals
Snow removal from your driveway is only half the battle. The main problem is ice that can make the driveway unsafe for pedestrians as well as drivers. Although salt is a common enough substance to use, the problems associated with having rock salt run off into flowerbeds makes this solution a rather double-edged sword. Using calcium chloride to melt ice is a better solution, since you can use it quite sparingly, although it is costly.
Cheap Methods of Skid Proofing Your Concrete Driveway
If you know where your snow shovel is and snow removal is no problem, but spending money to buy calcium chloride to melt ice is not an option, invest in some cheap cat litter or plain builders’ sand. It will not melt ice, but it will provide some traction on the ice that forms after snow removal. The downside of this idea is the fact that you will track the litter or sand into the house. Shoe removal at the entrance is a must — if you have carpets.
High Tech Driveway Snow Removal (It Also Melts Ice!)
It is interesting to note that Planet Green suggests the installation of a radiant heating system underneath your driveway. While it may appear odd to use electricity to melt ice or for even just for snow removal, the fact that electricity – if it is generated in an environmentally friendly fashion – does not require the use of salt, drain clogging sand or harsh chemicals should be an eye opener. It is also a lot less dangerous than the use of the flame thrower, which is a method occasionally resorted to by especially frustrated homeowners.
Source
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/green-ice-snow-removal.html
