FR
Abrasives and fondants
Cities – Commercial – Institutional – Residential
Abrasive and salt spreading are services appreciated by our commercial customers. Depending on weather conditions, we use salt treated with magnesium chloride on thin layers of ice and hard snow. This is used regardless of the temperature, and a lesser quantity is needed compared to traditional salt. On gravel surfaces and during heavy ice, abrasive is a better solution.
Depending on weather conditions, we use salt treated with magnesium chloride on thin layers of ice and hard snow. This is used regardless of the temperature, and a lesser quantity is needed compared to traditional salt. On gravel surfaces and during heavy ice, abrasive is a better solution.
Why does the salt we put on the road melt the ice?
As soon as the outside temperature falls below 0°C, the rain turns to snow and the water on the road becomes ice. This temperature is called the freezing point of water. Major snow removal operations then begin to make the roads less slippery for cars and the sidewalks passable for pedestrians.
Salt, by its scientific name calcium chloride (it is the chemical combination of the elements calcium and chlorine, different from table salt which is sodium chloride) is the main product used to de-ice roads. It acts very simply on water molecules by lowering their freezing point. Instead of becoming solid at 0°C, water mixed with salt remains liquid down to -12 degrees! When sodium chloride is applied to a snowy or icy road, the water becomes liquid again and the risk of slipping becomes limited.
Beyond this temperature, the salt is no longer effective. Sand is then used as an abrasive product so that the cars adhere better to the road.
Abrasive or Salt-Abrasive Mixture
It is recommended to spread abrasives and salt-abrasive mixtures over almost the entire width of the roadway using the dispersion plate. In fact, the objective is to add friction between the tires and the surface, over the entire width of the road or parking lot.