Ice ban or Magic-0 --- Any info??

[atozpropmaint]

Has anybody ever used iceban or magic-0 for ice/snow removal? The salespeople say it's the best stuff yet, but I don't always believe salespeople. I would rather hear from someone who has used the stuff.

 

[Alan]

I've used Magic

I got into Magic late last winter. Used it as a pretreatment on salt. From the little I got to use it I'm impressed. It seemed to get the salt down through a layer of frozen slush much faster than salt alone would have worked. Didn't try it as a straight liquid but I might get a spray setup for this winter and give it a whirl. Talk to John Parker (NY SnowPros), he is a distributor and uses it himself. No shuck and jive artist, John will give you the straight dope on the stuff. As I recall it works best when applied early so that it is under the snow as it falls. I don't think it works all that well if you try to use it over any amount of buildup.

 

[n y snow pros]

Magic-0

We use Magic-0 exclusively as opposed to sand/salt or straight salt.This material saves our trucks and sanders because the coated salt becomes non-corrosive and the Magic which is spread on the salt actually eats rust.It sounds nuts but its true.Our sanders will last twice as long and this material is not harmful to grass,asphalt,concrete,tile,carpet,wood floors or linolium.We use it in liquid form and sprayed on salt.The best advantage to us is time.If u use calcium or salt,or mag it will only work when you put them down and then you will have to re-apply.With Magic it works on contact like the other chemicals and slower than some products.The advantage is that when all is melted the Magic will then go into the pavement and will reactivate when the snow starts up again,which will give you more time before you have to spread additional material.Where we have traditionally used 5 yards of salt we now use 2 to 3 yards of salt sprayed with Magic.Bottom line we save time,labor and material using Magic and our lots are ice free 4 to 6 hours before anyone elses lots yet we charge the same amount and are done alot sooner.Some users of Magic that i know of in Dutchess county N.Y. are pool docters,Dutchess Blacktop Maintenance,Metro-north railroad,ALL RIGHT parking,Milligan landscaping,Joseph Construction,Vassar College,Marist College,Culinary Institute,Suny New Paltz,The Brickman Group,IBM,Chucks 4 Seasons Landscaping,Minute Man Construction,Inter Coastal Landscaping,Dupont,Barnes and Noble,Diamond Cut Landscaping,CTI Landscaping,All of these companies are located in Dutchess county and you can call information(when they are off strike) and ask them what they think. Except for Suny New Paltz which is in Ulster county