Effects of Salt on Hardscape Surfaces and Plants

Here in the colder climate salt damage is inevitable considering the amount of snow and ice we receive each year. Most of us know that ice and deicer minerals are hard on our vehicles but we may not always think about their effects on our concrete paver entries, patios, driveways, or plant life. Pavers are made to withstand the elements, but as most things go, extended abuse will take its toll if regular maintenance is not performed. Concrete sealers have also been made to help protect our pavers or concrete and mitigate damage caused by the elements.  What we may not consider is that our climate is harsher than the northern climates concerning one factors, our environment has frequent freeze/thaw cycles in one year causing chronic damage.  Salt, especially in accumulation wears down the composition of the paver and sealer, and when it is absorbed into the melting snow, it can seep into the pores of your hardscape.  When this happens the freeze/thaw cycle expands within and between your hardscape, eventually breaking down the sealer or pushing your pavers and concrete apart.  No one wants the extra costly expense of removing broken sealer or concrete and repairing them unnecessarily.  That is why it is particularly important to remove the left over debris from snow removal. Salt is just as abrasive on plant life. The water absorbing quality of salt makes it a competitor for moisture with plants. If the salt absorbs into the ground through snow melt to an elevated level, it can actually rob the plant roots of the surrounding moisture thus causing a drought effect in damp soil. In higher concentrations it is also toxic to plants. If enough salt is in the water table and absorbed through the roots, the plant has little way of disposing of that mineral. Levels can reach such toxicity in the plant to cause scorching and thus die-back from the inside out. So how do we prevent all this damage without giving up the cost efficient methods that are regular maintenance for our winters?  Take precautions to adjust snow removal deposits, remove excess salt from grass as well as your paver or concrete areas, and consider moving plants farther from large snow removal areas.