February 17, 2017 / By Groupa Concrete
With the onset of the winter season and ice in particular, many property owners worry about the potential hazards of slippery concrete. There is no shortage of horror stories about people slipping and injuring themselves in winter months. With this said, there are multiple solutions which can be tried to minimize this effect.
The first option that most property owners agree with is to apply sand or cat litter. Sand provides traction on ice, making it ideal in preventing a slippery surface. It does need to be reapplied regularly in order to remain effective. In addition to this, many people also use doormats combined with the sand. Gravel, wood chips or straw are also other great alternatives to sand and cat litter.
In addition to these SafePaw, an ice melting product that can be used around pets and children is also a great alternative and will not cause damage to your concrete work. It can be bought straight off of their website or at your local Pet Valu.
Some people also suggest adding a non-slip ingredient to the sealer to give in greater traction in the winter months. Professionals warn however to not use too much sealer even with these properties added as they can have the opposite effect. If you have any doubts about this, our team at Groupa Concrete offers the ability to add anti-slip grit to the sealant.
For those who worry about stairs, heated mats are another product which can be placed on steps to prevent them from freezing. This is of course a costlier alternative to the other options mentioned above but, effective none the less.