The use of road de-icing salt has been widespread over the years, mainly because it’s affordable, easy to apply, and effective. It works when you lower the freezing point of water.
In winter, roads may be covered by ice and snow due to harsh weather conditions. Road safety can be put at risk by ice and snow coverings, resulting in significant damage and loss. Salt is often sprinkled on the streets and sidewalks in winter when the roads are poor.
The road de-icing salt or road salt is a naturally occurring mineral form of table salt. Salt indeed turns ice into liquid, but there are other reasons for salting the ice. The goal isn’t to completely melt the ice but to break the bond between pavement and ice.
Why use Road De-Icing Salt?
A frozen surface forms when water reaches Zero degrees Celsius, and it includes ice on roadways too. De-icing salt is used to lower the freezing point of water through a process called freezing point depression. The salt works and lowers the freezing point of the water, so it is harder for it to freeze once de-icing salt is added. That’s why it’s essential to use Road De-icing Salt to de-freeze the ice.
How does Road De-Icing Salt Work?
The chemical reaction that occurs when road de-icing salt works is straightforward and fundamental. Adding salt to ice reduces its freezing point. Saltworks and lowers the melting point of snow and ice, or in other words, salt lowers the melting point of snow. 0
For freezing point depression to happen, there has to be at least a tiny bit of water on the road. For this reason, trucks often prepare road surfaces with brine (a salt-water mixture) before snow and ice.
You can’t typically expect much difference if you spread road salt on dry roads. The pre-treatment of road surfaces with a brine solution can prevent ice from ever forming, thereby reducing amounts of road salt trucks will need to spread to de-ice later. Additionally, road salt prevents the adhesion of ice. This way, road de-icing salt helps prevent accidents and ensures road safety.
What are the benefits of Road De-Icing Salt?
Road de-icing salt has been proven effective in preventing accidents. An American Highway Users Alliance study found that a 10% improvement in road surface friction reduces crashes by 20%. Additionally, the study found that de-icing with salt may reduce accidents by 93%, i.e., nearly all of them. Moreover, salt has a low price tag and is a good de-icer.
Road De-icing salt, on the other hand, creates a brine layer between the snow (and ice) and the road, preventing the snow from sticking to the roadway. Salt is beneficial for snow removal and traffic safety because it allows snow to be easily removed. Consequently, fewer accidents and insurance claims are made, fuel economy improves (because tires are gripper), and reduced absenteeism.
The government departments use road De-icing salt to clear the ice off streets, but different private sector organizations and individuals can also buy it. The bottom line is that salt melts ice on slippery roads efficiently and is cost-effective, which is why almost all states use it in the streets to prevent collisions, injuries, and deaths.
