De-icing salt – how it works and when it makes sense

Road salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) depresses the freezing point of water. In practice it works down to roughly −7°C; below that, calcium chloride (CaCl₂) or magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) blends take over.

Grain sizes

• Fine (0–2 mm) – fast action; sidewalks, plazas
• Medium (2–5 mm) – municipal roads
• Coarse (5–8 mm) – long residual; highways

Standards & quality

EU standard EN 16811-1 specifies NaCl content, moisture, and grain distribution. Always request a batch certificate.

Season planning

Plan 8–12 weeks ahead. European stocks deplete fast at the first freeze.