With all the bad weather we have had around Boston, we tend to see all kinds of de-icing products for safety purposes. It is great that these products are being used to stop people from falling. But, you are really damaging the concrete with de-icing products?
If you think about it, the de-icing products melt that ice and turn it back into water. The water goes into the concrete. The concrete is cold, and the water freezes and this causes more damage to the concrete. And this cycle goes over and over again.
This cycle is what causes pitting in concrete, which is little holes in the concrete, usually in a pattern. This also causes flaking concrete, where layers of the concrete can be lifted off as a result of the salts that are used; and it also causes spalling concrete, where little craters form, usually in patterns that can cause the decay of concrete.
To solve the problems that these de-icers are causing, you first have to limit the products that you are using. The American Concrete Institute has a list of products to avoid.
Also, we can put a crystallized quartz material onto the concrete. The crystals go into the pores of the concrete and grow as water hits it, then water will not freeze in the concrete and cause damage.
For more information, contact A1 Foundation Crack Repair.