As the winter approaches, many of you may turn to ice melting products to keep your walkways and driveways clear. While these melters aid in the prevention of snow and ice build up, some can cause harm to your lawn, your property, or even worse, to your loved ones. It is important to understand the risks associated with certain common ice melters so you can make an informed decision about which to purchase this winter.

Numerous ice melters contain high concentrations of sodium chloride, a chemical often referred to as rock salt. Rock salt is commonly used because of its availability in large quantities and relatively lower price. However, there can be costly trade-offs to using these types of high concentrated ice melts.

When rock salt is used on a driveway or walkway to melt snow or ice, some of that salt ends up in the surrounding soil through runoff. Each time the product is applied; the amounts of salt present in the surrounding soil increase, and can have damaging effects on plant life. Essentially plants become dehydrated from the rising levels of salt, and may eventually die, leaving discolored areas or dead spots along your walkways and/or driveways. This can be frustrating and sometimes expensive to repair.

Rock salt is also highly corrosive to metals, increasing the likelihood of rust developing on cars or other structures around your home. Not only can it be damaging to plant life and metals, rock salt can be extremely destructive to concrete. It increases the freeze and thaw cycle of concrete, which can then lead to cracking and erosion-even if the concrete has cured for over a year.

Calcium chloride is another chemical frequently used to melt snow and ice. While it may be very effective at this task, it can cause severe skin burns on pets and people who come in contact with it. Additionally, calcium chloride can be very slippery when wet, so users should be aware of potential injuries that may result from slips and falls.

When searching for an ice melter this winter, make sure to read the product's label so you don't end up sacrificing effectiveness for safety (or vise versa).

This article was provided by NaturaLawn of America. In addition to being an environmentally friendly lawn care service, NaturaLawn of America offers an exclusive retail line of safer products including ice melt and garden items. Visit them online at: www.NaturaLawn.com or www.IceMelter.com or call #800-989-5444. Or, see NaturaLawn’s natural alternative also in hot products .