When snow and ice become a seasonal reality, salting your sidewalks may seem like a necessary evil. Sure, it helps melt winter [1] ice and snow, but the wrong kind can cause concrete [2] surfaces to disintegrate.
To keep your walkways in great shape year-round, choose salt made from potassium chloride. This type of salt will melt ice without damaging your sidewalk.
Here’s a bonus tip, if you want to be extra-smart: buy potassium chloride before winter storms set in, and mix it with playground sand. Keep a supply stored near each entrance to your home, where it’ll be within easy reach.
And, bonus tip #2, here are a few tips for snow shoveling [3] that can also help ease your way out of a winter wonderland:
With the right sidewalk salt mixture and snow shovel technique, you’ll keep your concrete safe and your loved ones, too.
Links:
[1] http://moneypit.com/article/winterizing-your-home-prepare-winter
[2] http://moneypit.com/audio-q-a/repairing-concrete-walkways
[3] http://moneypit.com/article/snow-removal-tips-and-tools