Winter Salt Spreading Guide

Winter Salt Spreading Guide

The roads can be a bit unbearable during the winter seasons in the UK. The frost formed as a result of the snow rains causes it. But, with the use of Rock salt, also referred to as grit, all the passage routes can be treated.

The rock salt works by neutralising the ice formed on the roads, pavements, and the roads, thus preventing the significant ice frost from building up.

Benefits of rock salt

• It reduces the freezing point.
• The rock salt is usually spread on the areas where people and vehicles pass. People's and cars movements cause the salt crystals to break and spread all over and across the ice formed.
• This results in a reaction between the water and rock salt which neutralizes the water, thus preventing it from building into ice.

Is rock salt effective?

Although the rock salt works magic in preventing ice formation on the roads, it has a limit to the amount of temperature it reacts to.

Any water with a temperature range of 5 degrees and below, the rock salt can quickly respond to it, but if the water has around 10 degrees and above, then the rock salt does not affect it.

Types of rock salt

Rock salt for road and path gritting falls under two categories.

• Brown grit
• White salt

Brown grit

The advantages:

• This type of rock salt comes in a much drier from which enables it to spread fast.
• It is super cheap.
• It has a low carbon footprint.

The disadvantages:

• It quickly makes the floor dirty.

White Rock Salt

Some of the best areas to use pure white grit include at the home entrances, the office, commercial places pavements, and residents.

• This is a much cleaner and transparent version of the grit.
• It does not stain the pavement or add dirt.
• It makes the floor look attractive.

When to spread the rock salt

If you want to stop the snow from forming ultimately, spread the salt before the forecast of the freezing temperatures. This means that the rock salt should be covered before it rains.

Not only does it prevent the snow formation, but, it also prevents excessive use of the rock salt.

Follow the weather forecast by reading the relevant newsfeeds and websites such as Mr Office website.

How much is rock salt needed?

A meter square needs around 10 to 15 grams, although the quantity can increase up to 20 to 40 grams.

Factors that determine the amount of rock salt required:

The location.

If the area you want to spread is relatively large, then you will need a lot of rock to cover the whole parts. Steep and the bent regions also require more rocks.

Temperatures.

If the waters have already started forming on the ground, a lot of rock may be needed to prevent the further formation and neutralise the created waters. But, if there are no waters, then less grit will be used.

You must seek help when measuring the area you want to spread the grit to ensure you cover the entire place.

Get estimation charts from various sites for guidance. Majority of the suppliers pack the grit in packages of 25 kgs for easy carrying around when spreading it.

We offer rock salt spreading throughout Aberdeen, Peterhead, Dundee and Aberdeenshire. Follow the link below to find out more about the areas that we offer road gritting in north Scotland.