Driving your car in good weather requires full attention as you navigate the highways and byways with fellow motorists. You park in your driveway without incident and easily walk in and out of your home.
Winter is an entirely different story, though. Driving conditions are compromised, but before you take on that battle, you must get to your car and make it out onto the road. Winter means icy conditions on your driveway, which is challenging because of the risk of a slip-and-fall accident.
Do you struggle with this dilemma? Fortunately, there are proven methods to help you out. This is how to fix a slippery driveway in winter.
Create a broom finish on your concrete driveway.
Consider a broom finish for those with a concrete driveway or putting one in. Instead of a smooth, troweled surface, a coarse broom is dragged across your driveway when the concrete is not yet set to create a rougher texture that aids traction. Water can still freeze on the surface, but it will make it better for walking and driving.
Shovel off the snow.
Driveways build up ice over time, and while it could be rain that freezes on the surface, it is usually snow that falls, heats up and melts, and then refreezes against creating ice on the driveway. To help mitigate this progression, you can shovel snow as it accumulates.
You will have to monitor the weather and shovel at frequent intervals to stay ahead of it, but it can be an effective way of minimizing the ice buildup. Invest in a snow blower for less of a workout, which will get the job done much faster.
Liquid Deicer
One of the most effective ways to combat ice on your driveway is with a commercial liquid deicer. This is a chemical compound formulated with ingredients that don’t harm the environment, including:
- Calcium chloride
- Magnesium chloride
- Corn carbohydrate
- Molasses
It is very effective at penetrating through the ice and breaking the bond between the driveway’s surface and the ice. Pre-icing is also a smart method of preventing ice buildup with a proactive application and re-active placement, reducing the slip hazard on your driveway.
You will end up using less product because of the layer below that works to melt the ice and leaves a residue on the surface, ready to react to snow and ice.
You can also get a pet-safe liquid deicer to keep your animals from ingesting something hazardous while it is on your driveway surface, and different potency levels depend on how bad your ice pack is.
Snow Melting Mats
Another method is to melt away the snow so it doesn’t turn into ice. This can be done with the use of melting mats. These work similarly to an electric blanket and can be laid out on your walking path and down the driveway to melt away ice effectively.
Melting mats plug into an extension cord and work using a heating element, heated water or antifreeze, depending on the mat you purchase.
Gravel
Traction is what you are looking for when navigating on an icy surface, and you can use gravel to achieve this. Gravel will not only cover the slippery surface so you can walk and drive on it, but it also works as an abrasive to scrub and scratch the ice to break it down. You can also mix it with sand for even better coverage.
Non-Slip Coating
You have probably experienced an icy driveway at your home, a rite of passage every winter. Before the next cold season approaches, why not install a non-stop coating on the driveway surface?
You can apply several commercial products to your driveway to combat slippery conditions, and they will help out when the ice starts to form. They don’t directly remove or melt the snow but rather provide a textured surface that aids in traction.
DIY Melting
It may surprise you that you already have ice-melting ingredients in your home right now that will help you. Putting material on the surface of the ice can melt it away over time and serve as a protective layer so more ice can’t form. Some types will also aid in traction, so you don’t slip as much while walking or driving on it. These DIY methods include:
- Salt
- Coffee grounds
- Sand
- Sugar
- Beet juice
- Vinegar
While these are effective, lowering the slipping hazard on a large driveway area may take a considerable amount.
This is how to fix a slippery driveway in the winter. You can try all these methods or jump to the ones that make the most sense. Untimely, using these methods will clear your driveway of ice and safely navigate your property while getting in and out of your vehicle and onto the road.
