What Are the Best Ways to Melt Snow on the Front Porch & Steps?

Radiant Heat

• Though it involves more up-front expense, installing a heated driveway system, especially if you live in an area of the country with impressive snowfall, might be the answer to your snow melting dilemma. Radiant heat systems can be installed beneath porch floors and steps, and they even can be used in conjunction with concrete walkways and driveways. Unlike warm air, which rises, radiant heat seeks out the nearest cold object to warm. And then another. And another. The great part is that it does the hard work while you sleep.

Salt

• Common table salt is an effective way to melt snow from your porch and front steps, though you should use it only as needed, and not sling it all over your lawn as well. Salt is corrosive -- ask anyone who lives near the ocean -- and is not good for your soil. Available at many stores in bulk, salt is an inexpensive way to keep snow and ice from accumulating in areas where you walk.

Deicer

• Chemical deicers work in much the same way as salt. You spread it on your front porch if you expect snowfall or on top of accumulated snow after it has fallen. The advantage that a deicer has over salt is that it has a lower freezing point. While salt might work well on cold to moderately cold days, truly frigid temperatures require a chemical deicer to effectively get rid of snow and ice. Where salt is made of sodium chloride, a formula that includes calcium chloride boosts a deicer's melting power.

Considerations

• When it comes to melting snow, keep in mind that the colder the air temperature, the more salt or deicer you should use. For example, salt melts five times as much snow at 30 degrees Fahrenheit than at 20 degrees. So you have to be much more liberal in your application the colder it gets. And it might not need to be said, but throwing a pan of hot water on a walking surface removes the snow temporarily but will quickly freeze into an icy surface that is more treacherous than the original snow.