Rock Salt On Metal Roof

The dangers of rock salt on roof shingles rock salt s ability to damage driveways and other outdoor pavements is relatively well known but there is another place where rock salt can do damage to your home on the roof top.

Rock salt on metal roof.

For these reasons rock salt is not a good choice when it comes to getting rid of ice dams. Again for the most part you don t want to throw any type of ice melt product on your roof. Three to four times more expensive than rock salt according to this site. The tablets are specially formulated with calcium chloride so they won t harm your exterior like products such as rock salt which could rust your gutters and damage shingles.

An excessive build up of some types of ice melt may become toxic to the environment though newer safer brands are now on the market. It can damage masonry. As a result it can cause damage to vulnerable parts of your roof including nail heads and aluminum flashing. Salt is damaging to plants and very few varieties are tolerant enough to withstand the dangerous levels that can occur when you use rock salt on your roof.

It also does not work well below 20 degrees fahrenheit. Rusting nail heads can cause aesthetically unpleasant staining but more importantly they can result in loose roofing materials that can easily tear off during stormy weather. Rock salt is corrosive to roads concrete and metal your car. No it s dangerous for landscaping.

Use ice melt only when there s no alternative. Use roof melt tablets to reduce snow and ice buildup that occurs on your roof typically on the eaves and in gutters. The roofmelt ice melt is designed to eliminate the need to climb onto roofs while melt snow. The tablets help prevent roof damage by melting through ice dams and allowing water to drain safely.

Rock salt can also leave permanent stains on your roof and walls. They work effectively in temperatures down to 25 f. Rock salt is corrosive in nature. Unless you rinse gutters and apply a new protective coating after each freeze thaw cycle salting will ultimately damage your gutters.

Rock salt is not effective on surfaces below 0 fahrenheit. Why you shouldn t use rock salt on your roof. While safely on the ground toss a roofmelt tablet onto the roof. Melted water with rock salt mixed can drip off the roof edge and onto stone or brick masonry.