Winter salt vs calcium on cars

tommygun6644 · 01-16-2010, 02:25 AM

The place I am currently working uses calcium for the lot instead of salt. Their reasoning is that it is more "green" than salt.

Can anyone confirm or does anyone have any experiences with calcium in terms of damage it may do to a car as opposed to salt?

Thanks!

TJ91 · 01-16-2010, 02:49 AM

really? Wow i never heard of this before (sorry if that sounds stupid) but i am now very intrigued as well. I hope its less harmful on cars.

tommygun6644 · 01-16-2010, 02:53 AM

Lol I hope so too. I saw him (the "calcium" guy) come by one night during a graveyard shift and he sprayed it all over a few vehicles in the parking lot, dunno if it was intentional. They also use it for the sidewalks.

myold88 · 01-16-2010, 07:06 AM

They use that now here in Ct also. I didn't know it was calcium. The nice thing about it is it dries up in a few days and blows away. The roads go from white, back to black again and no sand on the road. I took my SS out yesterday for a ride and unlike salted roads it stayed clean.

Sean_W · 01-16-2010, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myold88

They use that now here in Ct also. I didn't know it was calcium. The nice thing about it is it dries up in a few days and blows away. The roads go from white, back to black again and no sand on the road. I took my SS out yesterday for a ride and unlike salted roads it stayed clean.

That would explain the fog like look I was seeing going down the highway a few days after the snow. It was really clowdy behind the big rigs

But I think eitehr way, as long as you can wipe your car down after salted roads through out the winter, you should be ok.

kutch720 · 01-16-2010, 08:03 AM

As far as I know, I heard that Calcium is worse for the car than salt. It is more corrosive. Now this is just what I have heard.

first one · 01-16-2010, 08:06 AM

It is Calcium Chloride CaCl2 and it is still salt. They also use Sodium Chloride NaCl which is more common and less expensive. Calcium Chloride will melt snow and ice at a lower temperature than Sodium Chloride. I'm sure it will do as much damage to you car as NaCl would since they both have a Chloride ion.

Slim2SS · 01-16-2010, 08:07 AM

I dont know which one is worse. But I do know salt only works to roughly the freezing point. (32 degrees) Calcium on the other hands works well below the freezing point.

TooCool5 · 01-16-2010, 09:01 AM

Either way I want neither on my car. That's why fearless is hibernating.

skuttduck · 01-16-2010, 09:03 AM

I use calcium Chloride (peladow) pellets as a suppliment to my reef tank. Prestone Driveway heat I believe is the same stuff.

It helps corals grow, and also helps out the invertebrates that I have.

I've heard that the calcium actually helps grass, and does not kill off the vegetation.

I'd try not to get the undissolved pellets on the car, as when they hit water it creates a reaction and gets hot.

Not sure if that helps or not.

BackinBlackSS/RS · 01-16-2010, 09:04 AM

They are both salts and they are both corrosive. Keep it off your car.

RedJewelrsss32 · 01-16-2010, 09:11 AM

I've seen it damage wires and chrome, it is used heavily in Mt Keep it off your car if at all possible!

*DGthe3* · 01-17-2010, 09:23 AM

If they really want to be green they need to go with an organic de-icer. For example, some places use beet juice. Any sort of salt in large qualities is bad, some are just less bad.

Oh, and moved to general automotive

01-16-2010, 02:25 AM	#1
tommygun6644 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS & 2006 Cobalt LT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Schenectady, New York Posts: 292	Winter salt vs calcium on cars The place I am currently working uses calcium for the lot instead of salt. Their reasoning is that it is more "green" than salt. Can anyone confirm or does anyone have any experiences with calcium in terms of damage it may do to a car as opposed to salt? Thanks! __________________

01-16-2010, 02:53 AM	#3
tommygun6644 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS & 2006 Cobalt LT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Schenectady, New York Posts: 292	Lol I hope so too. I saw him (the "calcium" guy) come by one night during a graveyard shift and he sprayed it all over a few vehicles in the parking lot, dunno if it was intentional. They also use it for the sidewalks. __________________

01-16-2010, 07:06 AM	#4
myold88 Drives: SUMMIT WHITE 2SS/RS CAMARO Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: 2018: Lakewood Ranch, Fl. Posts: 8,181 View My Garage	They use that now here in Ct also. I didn't know it was calcium. The nice thing about it is it dries up in a few days and blows away. The roads go from white, back to black again and no sand on the road. I took my SS out yesterday for a ride and unlike salted roads it stayed clean. __________________

01-16-2010, 08:06 AM	#7
first one Drives: SSRS - black, GFX, SSX wheels Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: IN Posts: 936	It is Calcium Chloride CaCl2 and it is still salt. They also use Sodium Chloride NaCl which is more common and less expensive. Calcium Chloride will melt snow and ice at a lower temperature than Sodium Chloride. I'm sure it will do as much damage to you car as NaCl would since they both have a Chloride ion. Last edited by first one; 01-17-2010 at 09:54 AM.

01-16-2010, 09:01 AM	#9
TooCool5 Drives: 2010 Camaro 1LS 3.6 LLT V6 325 HP Join Date: May 2009 Location: LS Posts: 4,245 View My Garage	Either way I want neither on my car. That's why fearless is hibernating. __________________ 2010 Camaro Auto, Inferno Orange, Titanium Interior, Gearhead Wheels AIRAID CAI

01-16-2010, 02:49 AM	#2
TJ91 :chevy: Drives: 2LT/RS Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 13,037	really? Wow i never heard of this before (sorry if that sounds stupid) but i am now very intrigued as well. I hope its less harmful on cars.

01-16-2010, 08:03 AM	#6
kutch720 Drives: Camaro 1LT RS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Maine Posts: 353 View My Garage	As far as I know, I heard that Calcium is worse for the car than salt. It is more corrosive. Now this is just what I have heard.

01-16-2010, 08:07 AM	#8
Slim2SS Black Thunder Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 183	I dont know which one is worse. But I do know salt only works to roughly the freezing point. (32 degrees) Calcium on the other hands works well below the freezing point.

01-16-2010, 09:03 AM	#10
skuttduck Drives: 2010 RJT 2LT Camaro Join Date: May 2009 Location: East Lansing, MI Posts: 2,529	I use calcium Chloride (peladow) pellets as a suppliment to my reef tank. Prestone Driveway heat I believe is the same stuff. It helps corals grow, and also helps out the invertebrates that I have. I've heard that the calcium actually helps grass, and does not kill off the vegetation. I'd try not to get the undissolved pellets on the car, as when they hit water it creates a reaction and gets hot. Not sure if that helps or not.

01-16-2010, 09:04 AM	#11
BackinBlackSS/RS Go Blue!!!!! Drives: 2012 Cruze LT Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 23,290	They are both salts and they are both corrosive. Keep it off your car.

01-16-2010, 09:11 AM	#12
RedJewelrsss32 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS Red Jewel Camaro Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Helena Mt Posts: 423 View My Garage	I've seen it damage wires and chrome, it is used heavily in Mt Keep it off your car if at all possible! __________________ WHAT IS CAMARO? A small viscious animal that EATS mustangs!!! Delivered 9/17/09

01-17-2010, 09:23 AM	#13
DGthe3 Moderator.ca Drives: 05 Grand Am GT Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Niagara, Canada Posts: 25,366	If they really want to be green they need to go with an organic de-icer. For example, some places use beet juice. Any sort of salt in large qualities is bad, some are just less bad. Oh, and moved to general automotive __________________ Note, if I've gotten any facts wrong in the above, just ignore any points I made with them __________________ Originally Posted by FbodFather My sister's dentist's brother's cousin's housekeeper's dog-breeder's nephew sells coffee filters to the company that provides coffee to General Motors...... ........and HE WOULD KNOW!!!! __________________ Camaro Fest sub-forum

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