It’s almost that time of year again, snow season is right around the corner and we know that people have a lot of questions about snow removal. You may not be forming hearts out of your snowballs but you might be if you didn’t have to worry about shoveling snow. For our snow removal clients, safety of their clients and employees is of utmost importance. That’s why they hired us. We offer 24 hour, 7 days a week service and you don’t have to call us when it’s snowing because we’ll already be on top of it. We are glued to the weather when there is a chance of snow and we will service when it’s needed. Enough about us, on to the question of the day.
Here at Envisioning Green, we are constantly doing research on what the best ways to battle snow and ice are. There are always new developments and we want to be at the forefront of our field. One of the standard questions is, what’s the difference between rock salt and a calcium chloride formula? There are a few differences between the two, other than the obvious, which is one is salt and the other is calcium. However, they both have the same end goal, to melt snow and ice and to help keep you safe.
Rock salt is best on parking lots because it does not attract moisture and keeps the surfaces dry. This means you won’t have much of a risk for refreezing which makes it safer and easier to drive. It is also less expensive than calcium chloride making it the more cost effective route for the large areas that parking lots usually cover. We recommend what we call a pretreatment which is applying a layer of salt before an impending storm to help speed the melting process. After the storm has cleared, clear off the snow with shovels/plows and apply another layer of salt. This will significantly reduce the amount of ice formed and increase the safety of those using the area. Below are some examples of lots plowed in the same area, within 15 minutes of each other. All three have been treated but the first two are treated with the Envisioning Green method of pretreatment, plow, and then treating again. We’ll let you see the difference for yourself.
Calcium Chloride formula is what Envisioning Green will typically use on sidewalks because it will melt ice very quickly. This makes sidewalks safer for pedestrians quicker. It is also effective to negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Like was stated in the previous paragraph, it is more expensive than rock salt but is still a cost effective measure for sidewalks because of their smaller square foot area.
For personal use, it is up to you to decide what is best for your snow removal uses but professionally, this course of action is what Envisioning Green would recommend and will stand by. If there is a change in the way we need to proceed, the team will make sure that happens. As with anything, all storms are not the same and we always use our know-how to treat them as such. With the knowledge and follow through of us as your professional snow removal company, your property will be well maintained and your people will stay safe from snow and ice for years to come.
Don’t worry with the first flury! Envisioning Green is proud to offer professional snow removal services to the greater Saint Louis metro area in Missouri and Illinois including (but not limited to): Edwardsville, Belleville, O’Fallon, Swansea, Glen Carbon, Troy, Alton, Godfrey, Caseyville, Fairview Heights, Columbia, Maryville, Highland, Shiloh & Collinsville in Illinois and surrounding communities; St Louis, Frontenac, Chesterfield, Ladue, Webster Groves, Ballwin, Creve Coeur, South County, Clayton, Ladue, Kirkwood, Central West End & Brentwood in Missouri and surrounding communities. See our website for more details.
