Coal ash act like salt?

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pine grove coal user
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Post by pine grove coal user » Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 9:39 pm

Everyone knows that coal ash works great on an icy driveway as cinders.
But does coal ash act like salt to lower the melting temperature of ice? If so, by how much?

 
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Post by rberq » Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 11:01 pm

pine grove coal user wrote:
Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 9:39 pm
Everyone knows that coal ash works great on an icy driveway as cinders.
But does coal ash act like salt to lower the melting temperature of ice? If so, by how much?
Semi-educated guess: Substances DISSOLVED in water (like salt) may lower the freezing/melting temperature. Substances just mixed in (coal ashes) don't. However, it seems likely that ashes in the ice would absorb light and heat from the sun and speed up melting, whereas the light would just pass through clear ice -- so it might APPEAR that ashes changed the melting point when they really hadn't.

Take that with a grain of salt. ;)

 
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Post by rberq » Mon. Jan. 17, 2022 11:07 pm


 
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WNY
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Post by WNY » Tue. Jan. 18, 2022 6:52 am

I use them all the time in my driveway when it's icy. traction and sometimes melting thru a bit, def. not as quick as salt. but gives good traction.


 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Tue. Jan. 18, 2022 10:42 pm

Be careful if you have unburnt coal (especially small anthracite) in your ashes. It can cut tires. Doesn't happen often, but it has. Stoker ashes can make their own kid of "mud" when dissolved.

 
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Post by HandFire » Wed. Jan. 19, 2022 1:55 pm

My experience is no it doesn't melt unless obviously warm. It does warm in the sun which will create melting around it but by itself no. Crunchy stoker ash does best. Handfired ash is too dusty and fine for anything but fill.

 
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Post by hank2 » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 1:42 am

I've used all my hand fired ash on my unpaved driveway for about 12 years. I've always had an ice buildup problem. I would say that only the pieces of unburned coal in the ash collect heat if there's some sun exposure. It's been quite some years since I had any red ash coal. That chunky ash is definitely the best for fill in and holding up. The white ash tends to wash away with very heavy downpours. I've always wanted to try Freetown Fred's dirt-crete but never have.

 
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Post by rberq » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 9:25 am

I had a low spot on my lawn, about 5 feet across, where an old dug well had been filled in and the dirt settled. I threw coal ashes on it for six or seven years and it finally leveled out. The grass continued to grow perfectly well in the ash.

Now I wish I had kept the well, as an emergency water supply when we lose power. But we really did want lawn there, and at the time we had little kids who doubtless would have "investigated" it. I didn't know what kind of permanent-but-invisible recessed cover I could use that wouldn't eventually become hazardous. My brother had a similar well open up right smack in the middle of his driveway after he had lived in his house for several years -- had no idea it was there until one day it appeared.
Last edited by rberq on Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.


 
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 1:29 pm

Yep, ya gotta watch them thar wells R--- :lol:

 
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Post by rberq » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 6:07 pm

freetown fred wrote:
Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 1:29 pm
Yep, ya gotta watch them thar wells R--- :lol:
Yes, I had another piece of property for a few years. The prior owner (real old guy, like I am now) was walking with me on a grassy path to the barn. He pointed at a clump of sumac and said, "There's a well in there, somewhere...." :?

 
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. Jan. 20, 2022 6:46 pm

Oh, for God's sake P----NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

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