De Icing.

De-icing is the application of chemical de-icer to existing snow or ice to melt it after accumulation. Anti-icing is the application of chemical de-icer to bare pavement before a storm to prevent ice from bonding when snow begins to fall. The same chemical compounds are used for both jobs — sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, organic blends — but in different forms and application rates. De-icers are typically dry granular at 4–10 lb per 1,000 sq ft. Anti-icers are typically liquid brine at 30–80 gallons per lane-mile. Anti-icing programs ahead of forecast storms cut total post-storm de-icer use by 30–60 % because mechanical clearing removes loose snow cleanly down to bare pavement instead of scraping bonded compacted ice. Modern commercial winter operations run both as an integrated program.

Standard commercial calibration is 4–8 lb of straight rock salt per 1,000 square feet of paved surface, with 6 lb being the most common middle-of-the-road rate. Treated salt blends apply at 2–4 lb per 1,000 sq ft because the liquid coating activates the melt at lower temperatures. Calcium chloride pellets apply at 2–4 lb per 1,000 sq ft. ADA-regulated surfaces (stairs, ramps, pedestrian entries) apply at 12–16 lb per 1,000 sq ft because pedestrian packing accelerates the melt reaction. Application is done with calibrated spreaders and verified discharge rate, not visual estimation. The actual amount applied on your specific lot on each specific visit is documented in the photo-proof report along with the product used and the pavement-condition assessment at application.

Standard highway-grade rock salt at spec application rates does cause moderate damage to salt-sensitive landscape vegetation when meltwater concentrates along driveway edges or pools at storm drain catchments. The threshold for visible turf damage is roughly 2,000–3,000 ppm sodium in the root zone. For pet safety, all chloride de-icers cause paw irritation if dogs walk through fresh application. Solutions: drop-spreader application along landscape edges (no broadcast throw), pet-safe ice melt blends (Safe Paw, Paw Thaw) on residential walkways, calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) or potassium acetate on landscape-adjacent properties and new concrete. We document the product used in the per-visit proof report so you can specify your preference at signup and audit compliance over the season.

Three variables: pavement temperature at application, surface material, and environmental constraint. Above –10 °C on standard asphalt or cured concrete we use straight highway-grade rock salt at 4–8 lb per 1,000 sq ft. Between –10 °C and –20 °C we switch to treated salt blends (rock salt pre-coated with calcium chloride brine) or pure calcium chloride pellets at 2–4 lb per 1,000 sq ft. Below –20 °C we use calcium chloride pellets only — rock salt is functionally inert at those temperatures. For new concrete in the first year of cure, decorative concrete, or properties adjacent to wetlands or fish-bearing streams, we switch to calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) or potassium acetate regardless of temperature. The decision is documented in the dispatch record so the dispatcher and crew know the right product before arrival.

Slip-and-fall claims average $340,000 per incident in Ontario and are the dominant liability driver in commercial snow operations. The primary defence against a claim is documented evidence that the property was cleared and salted per contract specification at the time of the alleged incident. snow.ca documents the product used, the application rate, the timing of application, and the pavement condition at application in the per-visit photo-proof report. In the event of a claim, this documentation is provided to insurance counsel as the indemnifying evidence. Commercial contracts with major retailers, hospitals, and government properties typically require this level of documentation as a contract specification — visual-estimation or undocumented salt application does not meet the standard.