Middlesex Ice Control is one of the top suppliers of anti-icing material in Hartford and central Connecticut. Anti-icing has grown in popularity over the past decade because it saves a significant amount of time and money. We offer two types of liquid ice melt at our Middletown, CT facility. Magic – 0 by ProMelt is a premium anti-icing material that delivers superior performance suitable for a variety of applications. We also offer ProMelt Ultra Liquid which is a high-performance de-icer made from a corn carbohydrate derivative that is blended with magnesium chloride. Both of these can be used for anti-icing. Contact us to learn more. Read on to learn more about the benefits of applying anti-icing liquid.
The Benefits of Applying Anti-Icing Liquid
Liquid Anti Icing Requires Less Material
Vehicle traffic can knock away granular ice melt. Studies have shown that traffic from as few as five cars can knock eighty percent of granular ice melt. When you use liquid ice melt, it penetrates the road’s surface and cannot be disturbed by vehicle traffic. This results in less material being used to melt the ice which reduces the cost of the contractor’s operations. Some contractors estimate using liquid anti-icing can reduce labor and material costs by 64%.
Should I apply anti-icing before the storm?
Applying ice melting liquid before a storm hits is called anti-icing. You should always perform anti-icing before the storm because it is much more effective at melting ice before a layer of ice forms. This results in less material being used which will again, save the contractor money and time. Liquid ice melt also has a residual effect on the pavement. If you apply the anti-icing liquid before the storm hits (or doesn’t) the liquid will stay within the pavement and will be ready to melt the ice of the next storm.
Anti-Icing Can Save on Plowing Time
Because anti-icing often occurs before the storm hits, the chemicals in the liquid prevent a bond from forming between the pavement and snow. This allows for the snow to be plowed more easily and quickly. Plow drivers have said that plow time can be reduced as much as five times when anti-icing is done ahead of time.
Does ground temperature matter when using anti-icing?
Knowing the pavement temperature is the key to using an anti-icer properly. Snow and ice contractors should always use a handheld or infrared thermometer to measure ground temperature. If you are just starting out with using anti-icing liquid, you should document your ice melting activities. Each time you go to do an application, record the following things.
- Ground temperature
- Application rate
- The product being used
- The results of the application
Recording the results of the different applications can help you improve your anti-icing efforts.