Do not use deicers to completely melt snow or ice, but to make their removal easier. Deicers melt down through the ice or snow to the hard surface, then spread out underneath. This undercuts and loosens the snow so shoveling and plowing can be done. Research has shown that the shape of deicing particles affects the speed of their penetration through ice. Irregularly shaped particles tend to melt randomly in all directions.
Flakes melt as much horizontally as they do vertically.
There are five chemicals commonly used as deicers. While they can be used alone, they often are blended together or combined with other materials to enhance their performance. Calcium chloride Available in flakes, pellets or liquid. Calcium chloride produces an exothermic reaction, giving off heat. Because of this, it often performs better than many other deicing salts, especially at lower temperatures.