Grounds, Landscaping & Snow

Snow - Hard Surface Brining

Useful Information

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Brining Overview

GLS-039 - Ver 1.0 (Aug 23)

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Snow brining is an underutilized best practice for snow removal. 

Generally, brine, being in solution (liquid) form, starts working as soon as crews spray it on the pavement and jumpstarts the melting process.  Placing a layer of brine on the surface of the pavement before a winter storm has begun, typically prevents the snow and ice from freezing to (or icing onto) the road.  It works great at melting up to the first inch of snow and prevents ice from forming, which can have a huge impact on keeping your walkways, roadways and parking lots safe.

Solid rock salt doesn't become effective until it converts into a liquid brine.  Applying Brine simply skips the process of rock salt turning into liquid brine. 

Question: 

Brine is more effective as a pre-treatment than bulk salt applications.  The salt is already in the brine solution and has the same benefits as salt without the reaction time

Answer:

Is Brining More Effective Than Rock Salt?

Question: 

Typically, if we do not let snow and ice bond with the surface, removal is a smoother process.  Brine is an anti-icing agent, not a de-icer. This means it needs to be applied prior to ice forming, not after ice has formed

Answer:

How Does Brining Help With Snow Removal?

Question: 

Supplier can safely brine up to 48-72 hours in advance of a storm in the right conditions

Keep an eye on the weather and know the conditions.  If there’s at least 24 hours’ notice and the temperature is between 20 and 35 degrees fahrenheit, brine can be used to pre-treat the pavement up to 48 hours before a storm arrives.  If the temperature is below 20 degrees, additives can be added to reduce the freezing point.  The temperature of the pavement also needs to be taken into consideration, to make sure the brine will not freeze when applied or if additives are needed.  Some companies have handheld infrared thermometers to measure ground temperature to make sure the conditions are ideal

Answer:

When Should We Brine Our Site?

Question: 

Brining has overwhelmingly shown to provide safer conditions on paved services (fewer accidents).  Brine stays in place.  It is not blown away or taken away by traffic

Answer:

Is Brine Safer?

Snow Brining

Rock Salt

Question: 

Brining is not a new concept.  Many major roadway systems in snow markets are currently being treated with Brine.  Not all companies offer this service and it may target specific size account

Answer:

Is Brine A New Product?

Question: 

Brining does not take the place of or eliminate the need for plowing and follow up salt applications

Answer:

Does Brining Eliminate Need For Snow Plowing?

Question: 

  • Rain events ahead of the snow will eliminate the application’s effectiveness
  • Traffic, once the snow starts to accumulate, increases the brine’s effectiveness
  • Many companies distribute brine off hours, typically at night to eliminate traffic concerns and cover more area

Answer:

What Impacts The Effectiveness of Brine?

Question: 

It is suggested that you use a 23.3% concentration of salt in water (23.3% salt to 76.7% water). This simple salt and water solution, when mixed at this ratio, will go a long way toward keeping ice from forming on asphalt surfaces

Brine is usually mixed, contained, and stored off-site

Answer:

What Is The Appropriate Brine Mixture?

Question: 

  • If snow / ice has already bonded to the pavement
  • Do not apply brine to painted surfaces and crosswalks
  • In extreme cold
  • If the storm begins as rain
  • Pavement temperatures are above freezing

Answer:

When Should We Not Brine Our Site?

Question: 

Brine is applied from a vehicle similar to rock salt. The brine is applied in specially designed trucks with holding tanks and spray bars. The spray bars apply several streams of brine onto the roads.  Sidewalk units can spray brine from a hand-held wand or powered spray unit.  These units allow the applicator to control the amount of material applied based on the conditions present or forecasted

Answer:

How Is The Brine Applied?

Brining Q&A

Question: 

Since brine is only 23% rock salt, we are able to reduce the amount of salt needed to cover the same amount of area than if we use rock salt alone.  Brine is a win-win – providing both safe surfaces that are easier to shovel and less salt impacting our environment

Answer:

Is brine better than salt for environment?