1. NATURAL SUBSTANCES FOR TRACTION ($10-$15)
Opt for less harmful substances to scoop onto your driveway after a snowstorm.
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Outdoors
Ice Melters: Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Rock Salt
by Kristine Hansen
Rock salt may be effective at melting ice on your sidewalks and driveways, but at what cost? Numerous studies cite salt's ability to wreak havoc to the natural environment. The heavy use and overuse of traditional rock salt (sodium chloride) can corrode concrete and asphalt, as well as damage plants. Plus, rock salt is your four-legged friend's worst enemy. It can get stuck in the paws of dogs and burn or irritate their skin.
So how do you prevent a walkway or driveway from becoming dangerously slippery slope while still being kind to the environment and keeping paws and asphalt intact? Luckily, there are numerous natural de-icing options, ranging in price from ten to a few thousand dollars.
View the slideshow above for our three top ways to de-ice driveways and walkways the natural way, depending on your budget.
Don't let the winter blues take over, take control of your home inside and out this winter with Scrub Away Winter Germs: Cleaning Tips that Prevent Colds and Seasonal Survival: Plants You Don't Want to Bring Into Your Winter Wonderland.
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Cat litter: Make sure the type you use to lay down on ice and snow buildup is natural and biodegradable. Options range from Yesterday's News (made from recycled paper and available in 5-, 15- and 30-pound bags) to Arm & Hammer Essentials Natural Clumping Litter (consisting of corn fibers and baking soda in a 10.5-pound bag).
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Sand: Sold at most landscaping and home-improvement stores, sand is a better alternative than rock salt, but still comes with a host of potential problems. It can easily wash into waterways, disrupting stream life. So make sure not to use sand near storm drains, as excess sand can clog drains and cause flooding.
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You also want to be careful about tracking sand into your home -- via the bottoms of shoes and boots -- because it's abrasive particles can damage wood flooring and carpet. To keep damage to a minimal, park shoes and boots on an entryway rug or inside the garage or mudroom.
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Other household items: To get traction on icy surfaces, you may also use sawdust, shredded corn cobs, peanut hulls, gravel, straw and wood chips. All are environmentally friendly and readily available.
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2. ORGANIC ICE MELTER ($20-$30)
De-icers containing chlorides can be harmful or irritating to pets, concrete, asphalt, plants and the environment, but there are a handful of products designed specifically for sensitive paw pads and general eco-safety. Safe Pet Ice Melter costs around $30 for a 20-pound bag, or $20 for an 8-pound jug. The chloride-free product is sold at places like Ace Hardware.
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3. HEATED DRIVEWAY ($300-$5,000)
If money is no object and you desire an effortless snow removal system, think about installing a heated driveway, which uses radiant heating to melt ice from below. The standard design features cables or tubing under the driveway and sidewalk that are heated by electricity or hot water.
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"We're seeing electric as the fastest-growing segment. There's no moving parts and no maintenance" says Tracy Stanger, CEO of WarmZone in Salt Lake City. The company installs two kinds of radiant heating for driveways: hydronics or electric cables from a Scandinavian company (costing between $8-$9 a square foot).
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These are more often installed under concrete or asphalt for new-construction houses, only because the cost to rip up the driveway is astronomical. "We don't really recommend retrofitting," says Stanger. "It can be done, but it's almost like getting a new driveway."
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Another hidden cost would be in upgrading the voltage, if your home is not currently set at the proper voltage level (around 240 volts). "You have to be careful about that," advises Norma Hess of All Warm in Cleveland, which uses a Norway-made cabling product. "Otherwise you won't be able to turn on your toaster."
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