Ice and Ash's

[Matt_W]

Ice and Ash\'s

After the snowfall and the warm weather followed by rain coming threw the eastern area I found that my driveway had become an ice skating rink. I plowed with my back blade prior so most of the snow was off but the thin layer on top of the gravel became very slippery. I have been reading about the sander/salters but has anyone tried using ashes on ice and what did they spread it with? I have a wood fireplace insert so I have ash’s readily available.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Egon]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

Sure ashes will work well. Numerous ways to spread it. Be careful of fires if the ashes contain hot coals.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[KubotaSteve]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

My dad uses ashes all the time on the hill out in front of his house. He just scatters them out from the metal 5 gallon bucket he keeps them in. Sometimes he uses a shovel if he wants to spread them out thinner. Works like a champ for traction and melting the snow/ice as long as the temperature isn't too cold.

 

[Bird]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

I've seen ashes used, and even done it myself, when we have had one of our infrequent ice storms in this part of the country. It works fine as long as everyone remembers to take their shoes off BEFORE going back in the house. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[ddbuck]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

I use ashes all the time, works great and when the sun does come out the darker colors helps in heating things up to melt the ice. Watch for nails if you burn old pallets.

 

[turnkey4099]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've seen ashes used, and even done it myself, when we have had one of our infrequent ice storms in this part of the country. It works fine as long as everyone remembers to take their shoes off BEFORE going back in the house. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif )</font>

For sure. But then I haven't found anything that works and won't track into the house. I use the commercial de-icer but only on the steps/sidewalk. The residual in the drive just stays there. Here (SE WA) it is usually gone in a week or two.

Harry K

 

[Boondox]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

While I've used ashes, I find them a poor choice with four large dogs around to bring them back into the house. So now I spread ashes over the entrances to my culverts so that area melts first in spring thaw and the melting snow has someplace to go.

I used sand for a while, but it also got tracked into the house. Then I stumbled on dark gravel. If I broadcast gravel over the icy portion of the driveway in the morning, it heats up in the sunlight and melts partway into the ice. Though it refreezed overnight, the gravel remains above grade and gives me and the cars enough traction to get around without trashing the house.

Pete

 

[Matt_W]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

I have used a 5 gallon bucket but my driveway is 1100 foot long and not fun trying to keep standing on the hills without taking a tumble /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Was hoping for a easier way to get them down.

 

[BigDogues]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

Though I haven't used it yet, I am going to try using stone dust. It's nice and dark and when the thaw comes it will be indistinguishable from my existing driveway. And if it get's tracked on my walk I'll just sweep it into the brick joints.

 

[CTyler]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

If you have enough put the ash in you FEL and sprinkle it in front of you. Others have mentioned putting a 2x4, 2x6 etc in the bucket acting as a gate in case your heavy handed on the bucket controls.

 

[DrRod]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

We use chicken grit. Its very sharp edged so a little goes a long way in providing traction. It doesn't stick much to shoes or dogs and even if tracked inside it doesn't make much of a mess --- but it will scratch wood or tile floors.

 

[6or7dazeaweek]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

Matt: Have you thought about a "broadcast" type of spreader? I use one just for applying rocksalt & it works pretty well...just have to open the feed control close to max so the salt passes from the hopper to the broadcast wheel. The nice part about that is just as soon as you spread the salt, you have traction to continue spreading. I don't see why it shouldn't work for ashes, but it might be messy. Let us know how you make out.

Jon /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Matt_W]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

Thanks for that tip I never thought of that. Can certainly do that until I come up with a easier solution. I can only see this type of thing happening 2 or 3 times max in the cold season. This my third winter and really never have seen ice this bad previously.

 

[44trxfun]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

Hi Matt, we discussed a few other options last week in this thread icy driveways . I just tried running the rake this afternoon and just loused things up. Though there was only about a half-inch of snow, the rake raked very well and I just pulled it all along with me (kind of a wet snow). Last year I started experimenting with bird seed, specifically the black hull variety. I figured if I could just get the surface to break up a little bit, that's really all the traction I need. I think it might work, but you really need the sun shining on it (similar to the gravel). We feed birds anyway so I figured the ground feeders would make good use of it. Good luck!

 

[bugstruck]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

I use barn grip as my drive faces north, is steep, and canopied by trees. So plenty of ice at times. Ashes have been used forever on ice but I want a little more granular. Sand and stone dust as others said works good too.

 

[Matt_W]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

I just wanted to thank you all for the suggestions. If it stays as warm as it has been I won't have to worry about ice but I think the rest of this year I will use the fel and maybe try to make something next year.

 

[PILOON]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

Ashes work but for me coarse sand with enough coarse salt mixed to keep from freezing is best.

I use a plastic tubb seed broadcaster slightly modified with great success. (plastic needed due to salt corrosion)

The mods I did are:
decrease the size of the stirring pallet.(mine is simply a bent 4" nail) otherwise I found too much resistance using sand.

Lock up the free spinning wheel (drilled hole and cotterpin).
This is needed for the traction to make the broadcast table spin as well as the stirring pin.

I fill the tup heaping full and walk up one side of the drive and back down the other side. Covers about 500 ft at a time with nice broadcast pattern.

Longest part of sanding job is filling the tub.

It worked well with ashes also but sure had dirty trouser cuffs and boots after spreading the ashes as it is kinda fluffy and gets wid blown.
This does not occur with sand/salt mix.

Also the sand/salt mix 'sticks' to the ice down to about 0 degF.
Below 0 F only stone dust or pea gravel works. The sand mix simply slides.
The worst grit is pre-bagged sand as it is much too fine, you need real concrete sand.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Re: Ice and Ash\'s

Here's a great solution - man, would you be the envy of all your neighbors (and me, too!).

Radiant Heat Systems by Warmzone (Click on "snow melting")

I like their homepage, too - check out the perfect addition to any tile floor. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif