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When temperatures drop far enough, even rock salt can’t melt the ice. The briny solution freezes before it develops, and the salt doesn’t work, which happens around 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that wind chill and other factors impact ice-melting progress. Some ice melters, like magnesium chloride, work at colder temperatures and work better for deep winter freezes.

In most cases, it’s a good idea to leave the icicles on your roof and wait for the warmer weather to melt them away naturally. You should only remove icicles if you believe they’re heavy enough to cause damage to your home or anyone who enters it.

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.

There is no hard and fast rule about using a snowblower on a specific amount of inches, but most snow removal experts suggest using one on 2 or more inches of snow for best results. This will also depend on what type of surface you’re working on and whether the snow is dry or wet.