Understanding all of the snow and ice melting merchandise on the market can get sort of slippery.
Rock salt. Brine. And what the heck is “engineered ice soften?”
How a lot do property managers know in regards to the merchandise used on their websites to soften snow and ice?
We requested them. Space property managers took our fast survey about brine, rock salt, and engineered ice soften. Which is costliest? Best? Most secure for the atmosphere?
Listed below are the survey outcomes, together with some details about these necessary supplies that hold your property protected.
Let’s Begin with the Survey Outcomes
1. Which materials do you suppose is costliest?
Rock Salt – 28.57%
Brine – 0.00%
Engineered Ice Soften – 71.43%
2. Which materials do you suppose is simplest?
Rock Salt – 0.00%
Brine – 57.14%
Engineered Ice Soften – 42.86%
3. Which materials do you suppose is the most effective for the atmosphere?
Rock Salt – 0.00%
Brine – 57.14%
Engineered Ice Soften – 42.86%
4. Are you aware which supplies are getting used in your property?
Sure – 85.71%
No – 14.29%
5. In your opinion, which of the next is most necessary in terms of snow and ice administration providers?
Security – 57.14%
Finances – 0.00%
Reliability – 28.57%
Sustainability – 14.29%
So, How Did Property Managers Do?
Listed below are the solutions:
Which Materials is Most Costly?
Sure, engineered ice soften prices $35-$50 for a bag, whereas brine is $6-$10 a gallon and plain rock salt prices $300-$375 per ton.
It appears a bit like evaluating apples and oranges whenever you take a look at bag vs. gallon vs. ton, however when all of it shakes out (salt pun alert) engineered ice soften prices extra.
Which Materials is Most Efficient?
It’s a must to do a little bit of a deep dive right here to reply this query, as a result of every materials works in another way and does its finest work in various circumstances.
Brine is simplest earlier than an occasion to forestall ice buildup, however it can be used through the snowfall if the snow is mild and is not coming down too quick.
However, as property managers identified of their survey responses, engineered ice soften is a detailed second. Extra about these supplies and the way they work in a bit.
Which Materials is Greatest for the Setting?
Most property managers — 57 % — bought this one proper. Brine is the most effective materials for the atmosphere. Extra on this in a bit, too.
What’s Most Essential?
Most property managers — 57 % — mentioned security is crucial issue in terms of snow and ice administration providers.
That makes good sense. Legal responsibility is a large concern for property managers. One buyer slip and fall damage can lead to a pricey lawsuit.
Now, a deeper dive into these three supplies that assist hold your property protected within the slickest, most slippery climate.
First, A Take a look at Rock Salt — Or Its Successor
Whereas rock salt is the previous standby for melting ice, there are newer formulations in the present day that do a greater job with much less environmental affect.
At Degree Inexperienced, we restrict our use of straight rock salt through the use of different strategies, too, together with an engineered ice soften combination that’s much less corrosive than straight salt and friendlier to the atmosphere.
When pre-applied, it prevents ice and snow from bonding to the floor space. As a result of it’s a time-released method, the ice soften stays on the floor longer, serving to to cut back the freeze and thaw cycle.
Subsequent Up: What’s Brine?
Brine is a liquid combination of water and salt that’s sprayed on roads, parking heaps and walkways, normally earlier than a snow or ice storm to forestall snow and ice from sticking.
It’s utilized from truck-mounted tanks with nozzles that may spray a swath of brine as large as 16 ft. Hand-held hoses permit crews to spray it on sidewalks, too.
Degree Inexperienced began utilizing brine to pre-treat surfaces a number of years in the past. There are a lot of benefits.
Salt doesn’t work till the snow or ice begins to soften and it mixes with that liquid and prompts. If it’s actually chilly, that dry salt simply lays on prime of the snow and blows round.
Brine is already in answer type, in order quickly as crews put it down, it begins to work.
That first inch or two of snow is essentially the most slippery, so stopping it from sticking gives an actual security increase.
Brine is simple to use, too, and doesn’t keep on with footwear and boots and get tracked into buildings the way in which rock salt does. It stays put.
One disadvantage: if it rains earlier than it snows, the brine can wash away.
And if the bottom temperature is just too chilly, brine will freeze, so crews have to concentrate on climate circumstances earlier than deciding what materials to make use of. The really useful temperature vary for making use of brine is between 20 and 30 levels. Hand-held devices pointed on the floor inform crews the bottom temperature.
Why Brine is Simpler on The Setting
Brine makes use of one quarter of the quantity of salt as conventional rock salt, which suggests it’s higher for the atmosphere.
One truckload of brine equals 4 truckloads of salt. Crews can deal with a bigger space with much less salt per sq. foot.
Why does this matter? Salt, whether or not in stable type or in brine, makes its manner into space lakes and streams, making a hostile atmosphere for the creatures who dwell there.
Some freshwater species cannot survive. The environmental affect of dumping all of the salt is an enormous concern.
The Better of Each Salts
Degree Inexperienced crews use salt brine to pre-treat pavement earlier than a storm and the engineered ice soften combination on surfaces earlier than and after snow or ice arrives.
Utilizing a mixture retains purchasers lined, it doesn’t matter what Mom Nature dishes out.
Belief Your Business Property Snow and Ice Administration to Degree Inexperienced
At Degree Inexperienced Landscaping, we offer snow and ice administration to our purchasers that we already service all year long.
We all know how harmful winter climate could be for our shopper’s residents and guests.
Our aim: defend everybody who spends time in your industrial property and reduce your group’s probability of being uncovered to snow and ice-related hazards comparable to slips, falls, site visitors accidents, and property harm.
In case you’re not already a Degree Inexperienced Landscaping shopper, we’d love so as to add you to our rising listing of completely happy prospects. Our focus is on industrial properties like workplaces, mixed-use websites, HOAs, municipalities, and establishments in Maryland, Washington DC, and elements of Virginia.
Contact us at 202-544-0968. You may as well request a free session on-line to fulfill with us one-on-one.
We’d love to listen to from you.