Water is absorbed into the very fine capillary spaces and hairline cracks in concrete, almost like a sponge. When water freezes, it expands by 9%. This expansion will cause small flakes of mortar and concrete to come loose from the surface. There are many factors that will affect how resistant your concrete is to deterioration, for example, quality of the craftsmanship, weather conditions when it was poured, quality of the concrete itself, and the water content of the mix. Regardless of these factors, treating the concrete with Concrete Remedy DS will dramatically reduce the effects of the freeze thaw cycle by internally waterproofing the concrete. "Poor quality surfaces may not withstand the stress associated with the cycles of freezing and thawing that can be accelerated with ice melter use. Do not use ice removers on porous concrete or concrete less than 2 years old." The manufacturers of deicers recommend to not use their products on concrete that is less than two years old and to wash off any excess deicer left on the concrete after the snow and ice have melted. (They say all of that in the small print at the bottom of the bag, which is nearly impossible to read after the plastic gets stretched.) Ammonium-based ice-melting products like ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate are fertilizers. They are not recommended for use as ice melters, as they have been found to chemically attack and damage concrete. | 
