It is Friday, January 23rd. If you manage properties in Farmington, Bristol, or anywhere across the Tri-State area, you’ve seen the forecast. This isn’t just a snowstorm; it’s a “kitchen sink” event. We are looking at wet, heavy precipitation followed by a flash freeze that will drop temperatures into the single digits by Sunday.
Here is the hard truth that most suppliers won’t tell you: If you are relying on standard white rock salt for this storm, you are going to lose the battle.
At KDM Services, we’ve been keeping the Northeast clear for decades. We know that when the thermometer bottoms out, chemistry matters more than effort. Here is why you need to rethink your strategy for this weekend.
The Physics of Failure: The 15°F Problem
Everyone is panic-buying bulk rock salt right now. It’s cheap, and it’s what they know. But standard sodium chloride (Rock Salt) has a major weakness: it loses most of its melting power around 15°F.
With the forecast predicting sub-zero wind chills and overnight lows in the single digits, rock salt will just sit on top of the ice. It won’t create the brine needed to melt the hard-pack. The result?
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Liability issues on your walkways.
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Plows chattering over bonded ice.
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Wasted man-hours re-applying product that chemically cannot work.
The Solution: “IB” Treated Salt (The -20°F Difference)
This weekend, you need a product with a lower eutectic point (freezing point). This is why we stock and recommend IB Treated Salt.
Unlike the dry stuff you get at the big box stores, our treated salt is encapsulated with a magnesium chloride and organic viscosity modifier. Here is the technical breakdown of why that matters right now:
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Instant Activation: Because it’s treated, it doesn’t need sunlight or traffic to start melting. It creates brine immediately upon contact.
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Sub-Zero Performance: It remains effective down to -20°F. When the flash freeze hits Saturday night, this product keeps working.
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Less Bounce: The coating makes the salt “tacky.” When you spread it, it sticks to the pavement rather than bouncing into the grass. You use 30% less product to get better results.
Don’t Wait for the “Hard Pack”
The biggest mistake we see contractors make is waiting for the snow to stop before treating. With a storm this cold, once the snow bonds to the asphalt, it takes four times as much energy to break it.
The Strategy: Get down a layer of IB Treated Salt or our IB Deicing Liquid before the precipitation starts. Think of it like greasing a pan before baking a cake—it prevents the ice from bonding to the road surface, allowing your plows to scrape clean right down to the blacktop.
We Are Open for Emergency Bulk Pickup
The “big box” stores are already running low, and what they have left is likely frozen into a solid block on the pallet.
KDM Services is ready. We have the yard in Farmington stocked and equipment running. Whether you need a truckload of bulk treated salt, bagged product, or liquid deicer, we have the inventory on the ground.
Do not wait until Saturday morning when the roads are already a nightmare.
Stay safe, drive slow, and melt smart.
