How to Make a Solution That Melts Snow on a Roof

Snow that settles on your roof can cause damage if it is not removed. If the snow melts on its own, from the top down, it can cause pools of water to form, which will then work their way through your roof until a leak develops. Ice dams will form near the edge of the roof, blocking the gutters and preventing the melting snow from falling away. The result will be a continual cycle of melting and freezing which can inflict serious damage to your roof over time. Making your own snow melt solution from household items can save money and time.

Table salt
Bucket
Calcium chloride
Potassium chloride
Old socks
Nylon stockings
Swimming pool calcium chloride tablets

Instructions

- 1
  Use common table salt as a snow melt solution. Pour salt into an old sock, a pair of stockings, or any other porous cloth material. This salt capsule can then be tossed onto your snow covered roof, where it will begin to melt snow, and release its wet contents, causing the snow to fall away.
- 2
  Blend a brine solution in your bucket to use as a deicer for your roof. Mix together warm water with sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or calcium chloride, all of which are forms of salt, available in most home improvement centers. Ideally, the mixture should be 85 percent saline. Distribute the brine onto your rooftop prior to a snowfall to prevent snow from sticking, or use it to melt fallen snow which is already on the rooftop.
- 3
  Use chlorine tablets from your pool to melt the snow on your rooftop. Calcium chloride tablets are used in swimming pools to maintain clean water, and reduce the presence of algae and bacteria. These same tablets also melt snow. Toss a few onto your rooftop and you will have a snow melt solution which requires no mixing or packaging at all.

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How to De-Ice a Floor

Snow Removal