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If you live in an area that experiences snowstorms during the winter, you are probably familiar with road salt applied on roadways to help melt snow and ice. Also called rock salt, road salt is halite, the mineral form of naturally mined sodium chloride, according to the American Chemistry Council. The salt lowers the freezing point of water, making it more difficult for water to freeze on surfaces like streets and driveways.
Each year, an estimated 20 million metric tons (2,200 pounds/metric ton) of salt are used on roads in the United States. While road salt might seem harmless, it can cause both environmental problems and damage to your property. “Road salts are often overlooked, yet they are a hidden menace that can cause havoc both inside and outside the home,” says Zeeshan Haider, CEO and founder of Greenry Enthusiast based in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Learn more about the potential road salt damage that can impact your home and tips for preventing and managing this issue throughout the winter months.
Road salts harm plants.
One of the main concerns with road salts is the damage they can do to plants in your yard. “Road salts can stunt the growth of leaves and even cause death of plants because road salts dehydrate the soil,” says Scott Gilmore, a landscaper at Landscape Creations in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the salt draws moisture away from the roots, it disrupts the uptake of nutrients and moisture that plants should be getting. In effect, the plants experience a drought due to the salt. As a result, you might notice discoloring of leaves (usually brown), stunted growth of the plant, or both.
Unfortunately, this could end up being a long-term problem. “The addition of the road salt can make the soil more acidic and less hospitable for plants to grow,” says Floyd Dotson of Fine Lubbock Landscapes in Lubbock, Texas. “This means that after your plants die, you’ll also have a much harder time growing new ones.”
Road salts can destroy exterior surfaces.
Austin Jewell, co-owner of Capitol Improvements, which offers exterior remodeling services in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., often repairs exterior surfaces after road salt damage. “Salt regularly becomes corrosive to many materials when it remains in contact (i.e., if it is not washed off before it dries),” he says. Jewell has seen the material harm home siding, concrete pathways and patios, asphalt, pavers, and wood decks.
“Salt will break up and crumble your home’s concrete surfaces due to concrete’s porous nature, so we do not recommend using it for an ice melt,” says Jewell. Similarly, wood decks are very porous, and salt impacts their ability to expand and contract naturally, causing the wood to rot. Finally, many salts have dyes in them, so if a homeowner uses them in gutters or on roofs to try to melt ice, the salt can stain the siding after the ice melts and eats away at the gutters as well.
Road salts tracked indoors can damage floors and other interior surfaces.
Road salts don’t just wreak havoc on your landscaping, hardscaping, and home’s exterior; they can also ruin surfaces inside your home. Salt can scratch floors, stain carpets, and even damage furniture finishes when it is tracked in from the outside, says Haider. “Road salts are corrosive; unless your floors are made of gold, silver, or platinum, you should mop them up immediately to prevent this from happening,” adds Gilmore.
How to Prevent Road Salt Damage Outside
To prevent outdoor damage, avoid using road salt altogether. Instead, opt for alternatives like sand or kitty litter for traction, says Haider. Since you likely have no control over the use of road salts in your neighborhood, be sure to wash all surfaces and water plants regularly to prevent the salt from building up.
It’s also effective to apply gypsum or organic matter to the soil near roadways to neutralize the salt, suggests Dotson. “Add an effective barrier against salt spray using burlaps or snow fences; this will prevent much of the salt from reaching your plants and soil,” he says. Dotson also recommends using a sealant before winter to help prevent water from penetrating vulnerable surfaces.
How to Prevent Road Salt Damage Inside
There are a few simple ways to protect the interior of your home from salt damage. First, place durable, washable doormats at both the outside and inside of each entryway to ensure that everyone wipes off their shoes before entering the house, especially during the winter season. Better yet, ask everyone to remove their shoes before walking around indoors. Haider also recommends cleaning with mild, nonabrasive soap to help prevent salt crystals from accumulating on the floor and furniture.
Try these fixes for plants and surfaces damaged by road salts.
If your home’s interior and exterior have already been tainted by road salts, there are some steps you can take to undo the damage. Keep in mind that the faster you respond, the better results you will get.
- Trim plants. “The only way to save a plant damaged by road salts is by trimming them,” says Gilmore. “You’ll easily see which part is damaged because it will turn brown. If you don’t trim the bad part, it will spread, and the entire plant will just die.”
- Wash the soil. Wash the soil surrounding affected plants with water. “Flush the salts from the soil by irrigating the soil deeply, but slowly, ideally with a soaker hose or drip irrigation system,” says Dotson. He suggests adding 6 inches of water about two to three times per week in spring (or after the snow has melted) until you see your plants starting to get healthier.
- Repair hardscape. Each type of hardscape will need to be repaired differently depending on the material it is made from. Minimal chipping to concrete, for example, can be patched with repair compounds. However, consider hiring a professional to address more serious damage.
