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Both rock salt and ice melt are naturally occurring salts. Rock salt is sodium chloride, which is the same as table salt. Ice melt products can be made from a combination of salts like magnesium chloride and calcium chloride or can be those salts alone.

Rock salt comes in large crystals, so it helps provide traction on icy surfaces, whereas ice melt products need to be mixed with sand to provide traction. Ice melt products work at lower temperatures than rock salt, so they might be a better choice if you have a harsh winter climate.

Some commercial services use sand when clearing ice, but that’s to add instant traction, not to melt the ice. While you can scatter kitty litter, sand, or similar substances on steps, paths, or porches to improve safety during icy conditions, they won’t help melt hardened ice. Rely on salt or other de-icing methods to fully melt away stubborn ice.

Ice dam removal is costly, but it’s absolutely worth it. If you leave an ice dam as is and don’t take care of it, you’re looking at potentially dangerous situations and high-cost repairs—like roof collapse, leaks, mold problems, gutter damage, and more. Removing ice dams is essential to keeping your home and your family safe in the snowy season.

In most cases, it’s worth it to pay for professional snow removal. You can shovel the snow yourself, but it’s very labor-intensive and puts you at risk of injury or illness by performing exhausting manual labor in slippery conditions. Paying a professional removes that risk and saves you time and energy. Depending on your agreement, you could wake up to a cleared driveway and a car that’s ready to drive rather than have to get up early to do the work yourself.