What About Blends?

Deicer blends are created to combine the properties of multiple ice melter chemicals, often to support marketing claims of lower temperature performance. In some cases where small amounts of higher performance materials are blended with rock salt or other relatively low cost materials, blends may claim elevated ice melting performance but actually don’t contain enough of the secondary ingredient to make a material difference in the performance of the base material. You may pay more for these blends yet not obtain the ice melting capability you are seeking.

COMBOTHERM™ Commercial Strength Blended Deicer from OxyChem is an exception because it contains a minimum of 70% calcium chloride and melts ice at temperatures as low as -25°F (-32°C). This unique composition makes it an economical alternative to premium ice melters that provides better ice melting performance than blends based on a high percentage of rock salt or other less potent ice melt materials.

Be aware of misleading claims – Avoid being mislead by performance claims made for blends that are little more than attractively-packaged rock salt containing insignificant amounts of higher-performance ice melters. Always ask for a formal statement from the manufacturer or distributor identifying the precise product ingredients by percentage.

In blends containing calcium chloride and rock salt, look for at least 20% calcium chloride content to see an appreciable increase in performance over rock salt alone. Of course, blends containing 20% calcium chloride will still not provide ice melting performance equaling COMBOTHERM™ at 70% calcium chloride, PELADOW™ at 90% calcium chloride or DOWFLAKE™ Xtra at 83-87% calcium chloride.

For a professional’s perspective on some of these blends, see: Summer 2010’s State of Salt Address.