# Best time to salt



## QuadRacer041

I have noticed that the parking lots I salt always still have much more ice build up then other lots I drive by. When is the best time to salt, right after you plow the lot? What I have been doing is usually salting the lot the following morning after it has been plowed. My thinking in doing it this way is, if I salt it right after I plow by the next morning the lot is froven up again. By waiting till the following morning before the lot is used the salt will melt the ice for that day. But my lots are always slick. Here in jersey we had snow then rain yesterday. I plowed everything yesterday and everything was pretty much down to asphalt but when I went out this morning, wow a sheet of ice. If I would have salted yesterday right after I plowed would that have stopped the water from freezing? As I said while driving this morning I saw many lots that had now ice. What should I do? Just in case you need this info, I am using bagged salt applied with a spreader as my parking lots are not very big.
Any info would be GREATLY appreicated.


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## REAPER

Soon as I am done plowing. My lots are wet when I leave and dry the next day down to pavement. 
I just got done reloading my truck and during one of the breaks read the back of the bag. They suggest the same thing. 

During a ice event I try to get their right before it starts so I can get home before the roads are to bad then check the property 12-15 hours later depending on conditions.


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## bluerage94

I pre-treat my commercial lots.... then after plowing...


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## merrimacmill

I plow everything. Then we go around and salt everything. We are usually the last ones out at night doing it this way, but then I don't need to get up in the AM. And the pavement is usually dry, or very close to it. That is not the complete case with a couple of the lots this last storm. But that is because it turned to sleet, and freezing rain half way through and just put thick layers on everything, so everything is de-iced but just doesn't look as perfect.


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## hydro_37

Salting right after you plow works the best. Anything left behind will not get packed down and the lot melts off and drys before it can refreeze overnight


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## QuadRacer041

Thanks guys, I will try it this way and see if I have better results


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## timmy1

bluerage94;735324 said:


> I pre-treat my commercial lots.... then after plowing...


X2

You will use a lot less at the end and your Lot's will look better than the competition this way.


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## riverwalkland

are you not using enough salt perhaps?


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## QuadRacer041

I don't think so, I think I use plenty.


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## highlander316

timmy1;737227 said:


> X2
> 
> You will use a lot less at the end and your Lot's will look better than the competition this way.


ok, I'm probably an idiot, but what exactly does pre-treating help do. Will it help reduce compaction and such from heavy traffic? In theory, it should leave the precipitation right at ground contact wet and keep it from freezing so that everything will push right off, correct? I have two places I am thinking of trying this because I am having trouble with that.


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## cretebaby

highlander316;738037 said:


> ok, I'm probably an idiot, but what exactly does pre-treating help do. Will it help reduce compaction and such from heavy traffic? In theory, it should leave the precipitation right at ground contact wet and keep it from freezing so that everything will push right off, correct? I have two places I am thinking of trying this because I am having trouble with that.


It does just what you said

It will actually be melting at the surface even with the snow still on and you will find it can melt to wet as fast as you plow requiring very little salt on the post treatment


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## terrapro

pretreat if you can or else push and then apply salt heavy, you should be good for a flurry afterwards if done properly.

unfortunately in this industry the more salt the better. if you have salt down before the push it makes a world of difference because the snow/ice wont stick which always makes it easier to make a clear pass. the snow left over from your push will normally be already melting before you put any salt down.


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## big pusher

Try some bulk salt. Even before I made the switch from bagged to bulk several years ago I noticed a difference between my lots salted with bagged salt and other lots that I knew were salted with bulk salt. I do not know if it is because bulk has more fines in it or because bulk is typically put down with a v-box or under tailgate spreader which can put down a much higher volume. Probably a combination of both.


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