Due to illness, I didn’t go out for a couple of weeks except for a few brief shopping trips. Meanwhile there’s been a lot of snow, which I haven’t shoveled, and much of it is compacted into ice. We had a couple of 40+ days last week, so some of the snow melted, then froze as ice. At this point I can shovel the top snow, but there’s a lot of ice underneath. My main concern is the apron, and getting back in from the street.
I tried to back out of the driveway today, and got stuck twice. Now I’m afraid that if I can get out, I’ll have even more trouble getting back in from the street (it was a bitch, last time I tried). I have a bag of sand and a bag of salt, and also a bag of some kind of bird seed. I’m thinking that if I mix these three, I’ll have enough for the entire driveway, or two tracks for the tires.
panache45, the salt is not going to do much until the temp gets above 20, so I’d wait and put it down later in the week when we’re supposed to have highs around 24. If you can get the salt to eat away at the ice, you can probably get the apron and a few feet beyond cleared with a shovel. Then at least you can get enough traction for a running start to manage the rest of the way.
Thanks, I didn’t know that about the temperatures. That explains why the salt I put on the back steps isn’t working too well. I’m thinking that once I get out, I can pick up a few more bags of salt.
What is the composition of the driveway? If it’s concrete, salt will destroy it (over time). Is it a south-facing driveway? If the Sun it hits it, you can break it up easier about 2pm or so.
Good points all. If your driveway is concrete, sodium chloride, the commonest thing sold as “salt”, will destroy it over time, as Ducker stays. But calcium chloride will not. It is often sold the same way, in big bags, with advertising saying it is safe for concrete. It usually looks more like balls of styrofoam, whereas sodium chloride usually looks more like little squarish chunks of translucent crystal.
Things that are dark will help eat down into the ice if sunlight is on them.
Tire over inflation hurts your grip on snow and ice, per some anecdotal research I’ve seen on CleanMPG.
Check your car’s door placard, and make sure you’re running the lowest PSI thus permitted.
I say this because some consumers feel the urge to inflate their tires to the tire’s sidewall max rather than the automaker’s suggestion. This is a mistake in inclement conditions, and an arguable decision otherwise.