
In the colder months, roads can often freeze over, causing millions in damages every year. Ice and snow removal contractors spread salt on winter nights to prevent or reverse freezing, and lower the risk of traffic accidents. While road salt does have some valid environmental concerns, such as damage to plants, property, and animals, our roads would be in a gravely different state without it. In this article, we’ll discuss road salt, how it works, the pros and cons, and alternative choices if it isn’t right for you.
What is Road Salt?
Road salt is applied to melt or prevent ice and snow from sticking in places like municipal roads, parking lots, and distribution centers. By spreading salt, dangerous ice, and snow will melt away. Road salt comes in many different variations, such as sodium chloride (standard rock salt), magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and potassium chloride, though there are more. Each salt has its own pros and cons, so if you’d like a more detailed explanation to determine which is best for you, check out our article comparing different ice melter products! The most typical choice is standard NaCl road salt, otherwise known as rock salt.
The Chemistry of Road Salt
- First, the salt absorbs moisture, dissolving into a brine solution.
- Once moisture is drawn in, the salt dissolves into ions. Sodium chloride (standard road salt) separates into sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions, for example. These ions are important in interfering with water molecule arrangements.
- The ions disrupt the lattice structure of ice molecules by taking up space between them. This weakens the hydrogen bonds that hold ice together.
- Lastly, as the structure of the ice breaks down, it turns into liquid water. The temperature range this occurs in depends on the concentration and type of salt used.
Benefits of Using Road Salt for North Texas Winters
- Reduces pedestrian slip hazards
- For every 10% increase in surface friction, a 20% decrease in road crashes occurs. Analysis of 4-lane roads shows a 93% decrease in crashes after deicing. (source: Highways.org)
- One of the most cost-effective methods of de-icing, road salt pays for itself a mere 25 minutes after applied (source: Highways.org)
Challenges and Considerations

While road salt is effective, its widespread use presents significant challenges in North Texas. That’s why Ice Melt DFW closely measures salt usage through calibrated applications and never over-salting.
- When road salt dissolves, runoff flows into rivers, lakes, and groundwater, potentially impacting drinking water sources. Higher chloride concentrations can harm aquatic life, disrupt ecosystems, and affect water quality.
- Animals that consume salt directly or ingest it from contaminated water can suffer health problems. Salt can even attract animals to roads, increasing the risk of vehicle collisions.
- Salt also contributes to soil erosion and alters soil chemistry. It can decrease soil fertility and leech away essential nutrients after repeated usage in areas with high snowfall averages.
- Additionally, road salt can corrode infrastructure, including bridges, vehicles, and buildings.
Alternative de-icing methods
- Scraping/plowing: Mechanical removal methods like scraping and plowing are environmentally friendly options, clearing snow and ice without chemicals. This method may leave ice bonded to the pavement without pretreatment with ice melt.
- Heat application: Heating systems embedded in roads, such as electric coils or hydronic systems, can melt ice without chemical deicers. While effective, these systems are expensive to install and maintain.
- Salt brine: Salt brine, a mixture of salt and water, skips the moisture absorption stage, reducing the total amount of salt needed. The investment in equipment to begin salt brine treatment is significantly higher, but should not be ruled out. However, with the high moisture in North Texas Winter storms, it is best to start with road salt for less diluted prevention.
Takeaway
Many ice melting/clearing methods exist, such as scraping, heating, and traditional or brine salting. Ultimately, there is no clear “one size fits all” choice that will be perfect for everyone. Scraping isn’t perfect, heat application systems require installing infrastructure and doing maintenance, dry salt can be harmful in excess, and salt brine can become diluted in a winter storm preceded by cold wet rain. Rock salt certainly has its drawbacks if not managed by professionals, but its match to North Texas' high moisture conditions, affordable cost, and fast melting capabilities are what draws such high demand.