Salt on the Sidewalk?! Here?

[Luv Bunnies]

I could not believe what I saw when I got to the school where I work this morning. There were icy patches on some of the concrete walkways and a teacher had gone around and poured salt on them. Now, many people will think this isn't a big deal. This is probably a routine sight for them. But I've lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for almost 45 years and I have never once seen a sidewalk so icy that it needed to be salted for safety!

Needless to say, it's been unseasonably cold here. We're expecting cold weather and a series of rain storms all week. It sure feels like Christmas is coming!

 

[Darsa]

OMG Global warming!! ... oh, wait...

I have a brother who lives around that area; I should check in with him, since he's always telling us Mainers how much warmer it is over there!

 

[pixiewings71]

Unseasonably cold is right...holy cow I feel like I'm back home in Idaho! LOL It's freezing out there...so cold that I've been eating lunch at my desk for the past 2 weeks....LOL And it's probably still warmer then it is in Maine, even tho yesterday it was 29 when I left my house and it was 30 today.......

 

[Feralpeg]

Salt is a bad idea. It will melt the ice, but it will also destroy the concrete.

 

[manning]

If salt is used or any melter, the concrete should be treated with a sealant.

It is the water that gets into the concrete and freezes that causes cracking.

 

[Meriweather]

DH is on a business trip in San Jose....he said it was cold.....just wait until he gets home tomorrow
Our high the last 3 days has been 30 10 this morning.....very unusual for us and I sure don't like it.
But it is clear and sunny. Better than snow!

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Unseasonably cold is right...holy cow I feel like I'm back home in Idaho! LOL It's freezing out there...so cold that I've been eating lunch at my desk for the past 2 weeks....LOL And it's probably still warmer then it is in Maine, even tho yesterday it was 29 when I left my house and it was 30 today.......

I live in Idaho and I will take your 29 degrees, yesterday I woke up to -2 degrees and I live in one of the warmer areas of Idaho

 

[N.Bailey]

OMG Global warming!! ... oh, wait...

I have a brother who lives around that area; I should check in with him, since he's always telling us Mainers how much warmer it is over there!

Don't you mean climate change.

I know the effects of salt can be pretty damaging to concrete AND vehicles, but when you live in the north, there sure aren't many options available.

 

[CowboyCO]

-13 this morning in Colorado Springs. Only -7 at my house up the mountain...

AAAAh, Copenhagen...

 

[momrek06]

-13 this morning in Colorado Springs. Only -7 at my house up the mountain...

AAAAh, Copenhagen...

YIKES!!! My nephew lives in Calhan, thats near you, right? YIKES!!!

Shocking as this may sound, but it is today in Orange County, CA.

 

[JR6ooo4]

I could not believe what I saw when I got to the school where I work this morning. There were icy patches on some of the concrete walkways and a teacher had gone around and poured salt on them. Now, many people will think this isn't a big deal. This is probably a routine sight for them. But I've lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for almost 45 years and I have never once seen a sidewalk so icy that it needed to be salted for safety!

Needless to say, it's been unseasonably cold here. We're expecting cold weather and a series of rain storms all week. It sure feels like Christmas is coming!

what are the other reasons the sidewalks need to be salted? Heheheheee
Decoration? Flavor?

Mikeeee

 

[cntrygal]

Salt is a bad idea. It will melt the ice, but it will also destroy the concrete.

i think that once in 45 yrs, probably wont hurt the sidewalk!

 

[disneymarie]

I could not believe what I saw when I got to the school where I work this morning. There were icy patches on some of the concrete walkways and a teacher had gone around and poured salt on them. Now, many people will think this isn't a big deal. This is probably a routine sight for them. But I've lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for almost 45 years and I have never once seen a sidewalk so icy that it needed to be salted for safety!

Needless to say, it's been unseasonably cold here. We're expecting cold weather and a series of rain storms all week. It sure feels like Christmas is coming!

WOW salt, that was going to expense, we just take the ash from our pot belly stoves in the class rooms.

lol, until 25 years ago that was the way about our area. Before the new elementary school was built.

 

[ginna74]

was about to say that I shoveled and put snowmelt on the driveway BUT I see that you are in SAN FRANSISCO..... WOW!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

i think that once in 45 yrs, probably wont hurt the sidewalk!

Agreed.

Though in grew up in San Jose (could be considered part of the SF Bay Area), and it snowed there in 1976, so maybe areas that had sidewalks iced on that day...so maybe a bit less than 45 years.

I remember that snow so well! It melted by noon, but not before I got a black eye from a snowball with tanbark (beauty bark) in the center of it!

 

[nskjerven]

Agreed.

Though in grew up in San Jose (could be considered part of the SF Bay Area), and it snowed there in 1976, so maybe areas that had sidewalks iced on that day...so maybe a bit less than 45 years.

I remember that snow so well! It melted by noon, but not before I got a black eye from a snowball with tanbark (beauty bark) in the center of it!

What part of town did you live in? I'm a native(west side) and was 12 that day in 1976 my junior high friends on FB have been reliving that day Fortunately no tan bark in my snowballs