{"id":2550,"date":"2025-11-13T00:54:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T05:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.seagrant.w3.uvm.edu\/?page_id=2550"},"modified":"2026-04-13T14:48:45","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T18:48:45","slug":"salt-savvy-tips-and-resources-for-private-contactors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/salt-savvy-tips-and-resources-for-private-contactors\/","title":{"rendered":"Salt Savvy Tips and Resources for Private Contactors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Private contractors (commercial salt applicators) have an important role to play in reducing use of salt during winter maintenance. Like municipal snow fighters, private contractors can use sustainable salt practices in their operations. This includes such things as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/resource\/sustainable-road-salting-practices-measuring-pavement-temperature\/\" data-type=\"resource\" data-id=\"1803\">monitoring pavement temperatures<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/resources\/sustainable-road-salting-practices-adjusting-salt-used\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Adjusting_Salt_Based_Conditions_2025_10_12.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1810\">adjusting salt accordingly<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Calibration_2025_10_12.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1806\">calibrating equipment<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Segmented_Plows_2025_10_12.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1798\">using segmented\u00a0and secondary plows<\/a>, and using a salt-water mixture (brine) to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Pre-wetting_2025_10_12.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1802\">pre-wet salt at the spinner<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Brine_2025_10_13.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1808\">as a liquid on paved surfaces<\/a>. Other sustainable salt practices include\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/RWIS_2025_10_14.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1800\">using RWIS<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Tracking_Salt_2025_10_12.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1796\">tracking salt use.<\/a> We developed a short video and online\u00a0calculators\u00a0to help private contractors use sustainable salting practices. We also developed<a href=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Sustainable_Salt_Practices_Municipalities_2024_0.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"1846\">\u00a0a guidance document\u00a0<\/a>to help commercial salt applicators understand reduced salt best practice options and potential benefits or challenges associated with each.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Equipment Calibration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How-Tos for Private Contractors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Private contractors should also calibrate their salting equipment at least annually. This process involves measuring salt dispersed at varied auger settings and measuring estimated spread width of salt at a preferred spinner setting as shown in this 1-minute and 42-second video. This information can then be used in conjunction with our online calculators to determine the auger setting to use to achieve recommended product application rates for the property being maintained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Private Contractor Salt Calibration\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7gFTmX6v6dA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Calculators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Deicing Product Application Calculator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.des.nh.gov\/land\/roads\/road-salt-reduction\/green-snowpro-certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Hampshire&#8217;s Green SnowPro program<\/a>&nbsp;is a limited liability program in which commercial businesses can participate to reduce use of salt and ensure surfaces are safe during winter storms. This program provides guidance on the amount of deicing products to use and actions to take to maintain parking lots and roads under varied winter conditions. We worked with a programmer to translate their guidance into an&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/deicing-product-application-rate-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online deicing product application&nbsp;calculator<\/a>. You might consider saving this as a bookmark on your smartphone (as if it were an app) for easy access. Here are directions to do this&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4jN979luHIw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">using an iPhone<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.androidcentral.com\/android-101-how-add-bookmark-your-home-screen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">using an Android<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"633\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025-11-13-22.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025-11-13-22.png 633w, https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025-11-13-22-300x140.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 633px) 100vw, 633px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/deicing-product-application-rate-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/deicing-product-application-rate-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Calculator<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Auger Settings Calculator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While private contractors\/commercial salt applicators can determine the recommended deicing product application rate based on weather conditions and materials used with the&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/deicing-product-application-rate-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deicing product application rate calculator<\/a>, that calculator does not provide guidance on what auger setting to use or speed to drive using a preferred spinner setting to achieve the recommended application rate. To further aid contractors, Lake Champlain Sea Grant developed an&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/auger-settings-calculator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online auger setting calculator<\/a>. This calculator requires users to enter information obtained during calibration and from the deicing product calculator. It then suggests what speed to drive and what auger setting to use to achieve the recommended product application rate. The calculator enlarges the speed closest to 10 mph as that is easy to see on the speedometer and is commonly used in parking lots. However, the calculator also provides information about other auger settings that were input and associated driving speeds to allow the contractors to use their best professional judgment at each location to distribute the recommended amount of product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To use the calculator, you will need: 1) measured salt output at each auger setting in lbs\/minute (collected during calibration); 2) the spread width of salt at your preferred spinner setting (collected during calibration); 3) the recommended product application rate based on product being used and weather conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"265\" height=\"185\" src=\"https:\/\/uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2025-11-13-20.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2552\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Private contractors (commercial salt applicators) have an important role to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"folder":[],"class_list":["post-2550","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2550"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3268,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2550\/revisions\/3268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/folder?post=2550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}