How Salt Works
Did you ever wonder how a common mineral like salt can have such an impact on our ability to get around safely in the winter? Salt plays a major role in melting snow and ice. It also prevents the formation of the bond between pavement and snow or ice so that roads can be cleared more quickly and easily. In fact, pre-wetting salt with salt brine can accelerate the melting action of salt. Click here to read about salt brine as an effective pre-wetting deicing agent.
The Science Behind Safe Driving
The bottom line is this: salt lowers the freezing point of water. This is how it helps keep roads clear and safer for driving so that things keep moving despite the freeze.
How It Works
Salt is spread on the snow or ice covered road. As the salt particles come into contact with the snow or ice, melting begins and water is produced. This water containing dissolved salt is called “brine”. Brine freezes at lower temperatures than regular water, so it remains a liquid at below freezing temperatures. The brine works its way further into the snow and ice and eventually down to the road surface. From here, brine can spread out under the ice, breaking the bond between the road surface and the ice. The remaining snow and ice floats on top of the liquid brine, allowing traffic to easily break it down into slush. Finally, snow plows can move the slush to the side of the road and clear the way for safer, more drivable roadways.
Variables in the effectiveness of salt include temperature, time, and application rate. For valuable guidelines for sensible salting practices, refer to The Snowfighter’s Handbook, published by the Salt Institute.
