If the system doesn't have a key ignition, remove the spark plug wire from the plug. About half the accidents involving snow removal equipment happen to first-time users or those using the equipment for the first time each winter. Take time to review the safety precautions and you can reduce your risk of personal injury. When ice and packed snow make sidewalks and driveways slippery and dangerous, chemical deicers can be a big help. Deicers work by dissolving into the ice and lowering the freezing point so the ice turns to water or slush even at temperatures well below 32 degrees.
Deicers work best when used in combination with scraping and shoveling.
Use the deicer to melt through the ice and soften it from the bottom. Then use a scraper or shovel to remove the ice from the sidewalk. For melting through layers of ice, the shape of the deicer granules makes a difference. Five types of chemical deicers are commonly used, often times in mixtures. It is fairly inexpensive, but is not as effective as other chemicals.