How To Choose The Perfect Ice Melt To Use On Your Patio Or Deck

If you have a patio or deck, odds are you enjoy spending time outside relaxing in your outdoor living space. However, those same patios and decks that provide hours of enjoyment during the warmer months can become slippery hazards when covered with ice during the winter. But, before you run out and buy a commercial ice melt or head to the kitchen for table salt to de-ice your patio or deck, you need to consider what impacts it may have beyond melting ice.

While melting the ice so that it is safe to walk across your patio or deck is the priority, you want to be able to do so without causing additional damage. After all, patios and decks are outdoor updates that add serious value to homes, so you don't want to risk destroying them by using an incompatible product to remove ice. Additionally, you don't want residue from your ice-melting substance to harm your yard, garden plants, pets, or wildlife. Believe it or not, it is possible to pick a product that can make your patio or deck safe to walk on without harming it or anything else. You just need to know how to choose the perfect ice melt to use on your patio or deck.

There are no shortages of products that will melt ice. But, not every ice-melting substance interacts well with different deck and patio materials. Most patios are comprised of concrete pavers, which is the best building material for patios in areas that get a lot of snow. Decks may be made from natural, composite lumber, or hardie planks. Screws, nails, and/or hanging hardware made from various metals will also be utilized on decks. The vast variety of building materials can be prone to a wide array of potential issues from ice melt. Some products can discolor concrete or decking, while others can rust or corrode metal hardware.

Plants, pets, and wildlife are other considerations when choosing an ice melt. Whether it be lawn grass or plants in flower beds and gardens, the runoff resulting from some ice melts can damage or kill plants. Pet owners also need to be concerned with harm that can come to their animals. Dogs and cats can become dangerously ill not just from ingesting some ice-melting substances but also from walking on them. The same can happen to wild animals who frequent your backyard.

Given all these considerations, it is often necessary to find a compromise in order to get the right ice melt for your needs. Some are easy to eliminate. The traditional pick of rock salt is cheap, but it is also not safe for plants or pets, can damage concrete, and will corrode and rust metal parts. Ditto for vinegar, which can discolor decking and corrode the screws and hangers. Products made from calcium chloride, such as Snow Joe ice melt, are typically safer for pets and plants, as well as less damaging to patio and deck material. They are more expensive, though. Magnesium chloride products, such as Safe Step, can also be expensive but are the safest for plants, animals, and deck and patio materials. 

Beyond just choosing the right substance to sprinkle on your deck or patio to melt ice, there are some other things to consider in order to make the task of protecting your outdoor living space, pets, plants, and structure simple. For one, regardless of which product you choose, use as little as possible to prevent buildup during the winter season. Additionally, as soon as the weather warms sufficiently, thoroughly rinse away the product, as even the safest of the ice-melting solutions can eventually cause harm if they are allowed to stay on decks and patios.

It is helpful to treat your deck or patio with a sealant on a regular basis as well. This will prevent water, as well as ice melt substances, from penetrating the materials. An easy way to tell if your deck or patio needs resealing is to spray it with a light coat of water. If the water quickly beads, your sealant should hold through the winter. However, if the water just pools or soaks in, it is time to reseal.

It is also a good idea to store patio furniture inside during winter weather. Not only does this help prevent damage to the furniture, but it also clears the deck and makes it easy to sprinkle ice melt. Finally, investing in an ice-melting mat, like the HeatTrak heated snow melting mat, can help clear a safe place for you to walk and stand as you disperse ice melt across the remainder of your patio or deck.