Snow season is here, Canada! Yes, this only means more hot chocolate and cozy nights spent by the fireplace at home. On the other hand, this also means more unplanned chores in the morning involving shoveling the snow off your doorway, driveway and sidewalks! Not as cozy as we’d like, huh?
If you have been living in a snowy country for a while, you would know by now that spreading salt is probably the most efficient and cost effective way to melt off the snow and the ice that accumulates on the exteriors of your home and even on the roads. The chemical properties of salt make it the perfect de-icing agent during snow removal as it lowers the formation of ice by quickly dissolving in water and breaking the ions.
Having said that, you should know that salt is not just one type. There are tens of different types that can be used differently. Let us look through some of the most commonly used ones for snow removal in Canada:
Halite
Halite is the most commonly used type of salt for snow removal off the street and is often referred to as rock salt. It is often mined from the undergrounds and has similar chemical properties to that of table salt. High concentrations of halite salt can affect the vegetation in the surrounding environment, so it is best to be used in low concentrations.
Potassium Chloride
Also used for snow melting off the streets, potassium chloride is a mined salt that also affects the vegetation of your surroundings, thanks to its fertilizing properties. Again, it is best to not overuse it to not increase the lushness around the highways, attracting animals and creating traffic hazards for drivers.
Magnesium Chloride
You are definitely reading through this blog to see what type of salt is best used for your commercial and residential properties. Here goes your answer. Magnesium chloride is the perfect option for people who have pets or a surrounding garden. This type of salt is much more environmentally friendly than other types. The downside? It might cause damage to your concrete and plants if overused.
Calcium Chloride
Calcium chloride comes in second place for best salt to use for commercial and residential properties. The main advantage is it dissolves ice faster than magnesium chloride which makes it a better option for people who are tight on time. However, this advantage comes with considerable downsides including skin irritation and is harsh to plants and pets in it’s surroundings.
Let us not go in more detail and bore you with chemistry; consider this a brief introduction to dealing with snow 101, especially if you have moved into a snowy country such as Canada recently. Although there may be better and more environmentally-friendly options such as beet root juice, using salt for commercial and residential purposes is a time efficient and cost effective way to deal with snow. Think of it as a quick fix. This doesn’t negate the fact that you need to hire regular snow shoveling or snow removal service, all of which you can find on the WeServe app.
All you have to do is create a homeowner profile on WeServe and choose the type of service you want as the platform includes many other types of services including but not limited to painting, plumbing, appliance repair, furniture assembly, roofing, handymen, house keepers, etc.
Once you choose the type of service you need, in our case today, snow management, hundreds of profiles of service providers around you will appear to you. You then get to pick the one you are most comfortable with according to their rates, availability, reviews and rating. Very convenient right? Connecting with service providers has never been easier.
