Snow removal in Calgary is a tough, messy business, but at Mirage Landscaping we have three generations of experience keeping our clients’ properties clean. We take great care to make the most of the resources available to us, and keeping your property at its best is our priority
Hold the Salt
Good old sodium chloride, a.k.a. “rock salt”, is one of the most economical agents on the market to use as a deicing agent. The problem with sodium chloride is that you get the very limited performance you pay for.
All that any salt is trying to accomplish upon ice is to chemically form a brine, which is created by the reactive heat that the salt exhibits upon fresh water ice, which lowers its freezing point below the current ambient air temperature. Unfortunately, a lot of salt is required to be very effective, and salt can be very hard on the environment.
When the Romans finally sacked Carthage after the Third Punic War, in 146 BC, they were have said to have “salted the earth” so that the site of Carthage could never again arise as a regional power. This salting was an attempt to make agriculture in the area a futile pursuit. The over-application of melting agents results in salt becoming part of run-off, and if it reaches the storm drain system the brine increases the salinity of the downstream watershed. If it runs off into your lawn, it harms the plantings and can kill the grass. Even if it somehow pools in place and evaporates, it remains a chemical burn hazard to the sensitive paw pads of domestic animals.
Sand For Our Times
Frankly, the best ice management method, for both your own health and that of the environment, is to put your back into it, (or hire ours). Staying on top of snow removal in Calgary means it takes only minutes with a quality ice chopper/scraper and a hand operated sand spreader to make your walks as safe as they would be with melting agents. We will always strive to use as little melting agent or sand that is still consistent with making your premises safe for you and your visitors.
If you are tired of dealing with your own ice management issues, contact us for a free, no obligation quote about the comprehensive snow removal services that we offer.
