Are you interested in the details of anti-icing and de-icing? Listed below are the most frequently asked questions regarding anti-icing, de-icing and Kemion’s solutions.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT ANTI-ICING AND DE-ICING
Anti-icing and de-icing are an essential part of winter maintenance. They can be used to significantly increase safety on roads and walkways. Anti-icing can proactively increase safety on roads and walkways. The purpose of de-icing is to remove the slipperiness and other disadvantages caused by the ice that has already formed.
Chemical anti-icing and de-icing are based on changing the chemical balance of the ice and lowering the freezing point of water.
We develope and manufacture both solid and liquid anti-icing and de-icing products.
Our products are optimized for different operating conditions and they can withstand frost up to -50 °C.
The choice of anti-icing and de-icing product is influenced by e.g., the site conditions and characteristics, traffic, and environmental factors. Our experts are happy to help you choose the right product.
Our anti-icing and de-icing products can be used, for example, on various traffic routes, such as roads, walkways, bikeways and railways, yards, and real estate areas. In addition, our products are suitable for industrial areas and sport fields.
Our products can be used for anything from preventing frost and rime to removing packed snow and ice. In addition, the products can be used in general to prevent freezing, for example when earthmoving loads freeze on lorry platforms.
The effectiveness of our products is based on their ability to lower the freezing point and thus prevent moisture from freezing.
We focus on developing and manufacturing products that are as environmentally friendly as possible, based on e.g., organic and biodegradable ingredients. In addition, our product range also includes anti-icing and de-icing agents based on traditional technology.
Our environmentally friendly anti-icing and de-icing products are biodegradable and do not accumulate in the soil or waterways. Our products are also safe to use in environmentally sensitive areas. In addition, our products also have lower corrosion effects compared to traditional salt.
When traditional road salt enters groundwater and surface water, it causes an increase in the chloride content and thus degrades the quality of raw water. In industrial applications the problem is often chloride enriched in circulating water, which causes process problems and corrosion of pipelines. Due to its non-degradability, traditional road salt accumulates in the soil, which can cause a hardening problem for the soil material in some applications (e.g., riding arena).
ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY
Ecological options are better for the environment because they are biodegradable and do not burden nature. In addition, non-ecological solutions cannot be used in sensitive environmental areas.
Anti-icing and de-icing products affect for example, soil, waterways, and vegetation. Generally, the use of anti-icing and de-icing products reduce the consumption of gravel. We always strive to develop products with the least possible impact on the environment.
In groundwater areas, anti-icing and de-icing can only be carried out with suitable and approved products. The Finnish Environmental Institute has researched substances suitable for most sensitive groundwater areas and recommended the products offered by Kemion for Class 1 groundwater areas.
Our anti-icing and de-icing products have low material effects and are compatible with common materials. In general, our products cause less corrosion than traditional road salt and do not damage good quality concrete. Kemion has also developed a fully biodegradable product suitable for sensitive materials. The product has even lower corrosion effects than rainwater.
Our products generally have no problems with good quality concrete (no cracks, no large prosity or damge). For porous materials (e.g. low-grade concrete), the mechanical stress caused by the general freeze-thaw cycle must be considered.
Our products are generally safe to use around animals. They are used, for example, on farms and riding stables. Like traditional road salt, some environmentally friendly anti-icing and de-icing products can cause irritation on wounds and sensitive skin. We also have developed anti-icing and de-icing products that are particularly suitable for applications where the product comes into contact with the skin through the treated material.
Kemion’s products are safe to use in areas with children. The products can be used, for example, in playgrounds and sports fields. We also have developed anti-icing and de-icing products that are particularly suitable for applications where the product comes into contact with the skin through the treated material.
Our environmentally friendly products are not classified as harmful and therefore completely safe to use. We identify the properties and effects of our products and have evaluated the products in accordance with CLP regulations.
TREATMENT
Anti-icing and de-icing can be done on all kinds of surfaces and materials. In our wide product range, you can find suitable products for various purposes. Applications include for example, walkways, roads, railways, windmills, sports fields, harbours, and industrial areas.
Anti-icing and de-icing treatments always depend on the weather conditions and the location and its characteristics, traffic, and materials. We recommend carrying out treatments in advance, to prevent ice and snow formation on the surface. Treatments can also be done when slipperiness occurs.
Moisture, such as heavy rain or snow dilutes water-soluble products, weakening their effectiveness and shortening the duration.
The duration of the treatment is mainly affected by weather conditions and the amount of traffic. In addition, the duration is affected by the properties of the treated surface as well as maintenance measures. Moisture, such as heavy rain or snow dilutes water-soluble products, weakening their effectiveness and shortening the duration.
We recommend mechanical removal of the ice and snow before using anti-icing and de-icing products.
APPLICATION OF PRODUCTS
We recommend mechanical removal of the ice and snow before using anti-icing and de-icing products. In addition, weather conditions and site’s requirements should be considered when planning the frequency of treatments and application rate.
The application rate is depending on the intended use and used product. For example, on highways the application amounts (g/m2) are small due to heavy traffic, while for example, on sports fields they are clearly higher. Our experts are happy to advise you with the appropriate dosage of the product for each application.
The products are applied to the treated area with standard granular and liquid spreaders as evenly as possible and in accordance with the given instructions. We recommend that you ensure the compatibility of the materials before application.
ORDERS, DELIVERY AND PRICING
Ask for an offer or more information about our solutions from our Sales Manager Santeri Joki tel. +358 40 651 5262 or santeri.joki@kemion.fi.
Or you can place an order directly by e-mail to orders@kemion.fi.
We strive to keep our basic products in stock at all times. Our special products are manufactured and supplied according to demand. At the offer stage, we always announce the availability of the products and the more detailed delivery time for the order.
The prices of our wide range of products vary depending on the products and the availability of raw materials.
Ask for an offer from our Sales Manager Santeri Joki tel. +358 40 651 5262 or santeri.joki@kemion.fi.
Most of our orders leave our warehouse within three working days. For special products and larger orders, the delivery time may be longer or agreed separately.
In the case of separately agreed express deliveries, the order will leave our warehouse on the same or the next day according to additional pricing.
Products are available directly from our warehouse or we can deliver them directly to the customer’s address. We primarily offer FCA (free carrier) as a delivery term. Deliveries are always agreed with the customer.
Didn’t find the answer to your question? Contact us and we will help! You can contact us by e-mail at kemion@kemion.fi.