When to use de-icing salt?
Preventative or curative spreading? What is the best solution and why?
It is important to spread preventatively instead of curatively, so before the roads are icy. This way, permanent road safety can be guaranteed and the salt consumption is limited.
Preventative
Preventative spreading is spreading de-icing salt before the announced weather deterioration occurs. This way, permanent road safety can be guaranteed.
When the temperature decreases and the rain quantity remain limited, preventative spreading might be sufficient as a measure. In other circumstances the preventative spreading should be seen as a preparatory phase. By spreading sensitive surfaces, the snow shall less likely adhere to the road. This way, in a later phase, snow-removing machines can remove snow and ice in a quicker and easier way.
Quantity: 7-20 g/m²
Curative
Curative spreading is spreading from the moment on which it starts snowing or freezing. The objective is to make sure that the roads are open for traffic again as quickly as possible.
Quantity: 20-50 g/m²
Spreading after snow removal
This means that one shall remove all snow and frosts rests by spreading, which is in fact again spreading preventatively for future fall. It is important to spread preventatively instead of curatively, so before the roads are icy. This way, permanent road safety can be guaranteed and the salt consumption is limited: 1 kg of salt spread preventatively, can save 5 kg of salt spread curatively.
