Ice Storm Preparedness for Kitchener-Waterloo Property Owners

Ice Management and De-Icing

Ice storms create different challenges than snow events — understanding how to prepare and respond reduces property damage and liability exposure during these high-risk weather events.

Ice storms deposit freezing rain as glaze ice on all exposed surfaces — roads, walkways, vehicles, tree branches, and power lines. Unlike snow, which can be plowed and accumulated, glaze ice bonds firmly to surfaces and requires chemical treatment or mechanical scoring to remove safely.

Best Practices for Ontario Winters

Power outages accompanying ice storms are a significant secondary risk for property owners. Ice loading on power lines and trees causes both direct outages and cascading damage from fallen branches and lines. Having a generator or portable power source for critical systems — sump pumps, heating, refrigeration — is valuable insurance for properties in areas with overhead utilities.

Tree risk assessment before ice storm season identifies which trees on or overhanging your property pose the greatest risk to buildings, vehicles, and power lines. Large deciduous trees with wide canopies and significant branch weight carry enormous loads when covered with ice. A registered arborist can identify and remove high-risk limbs before winter.

Professional Snow and Ice Control

De-icing product stockpiling before forecast ice events is more important than during them — retail supplies of calcium chloride and rock salt sell out rapidly when an ice storm is 24 to 48 hours away. D&D Snow Services maintains pre-season supply reserves to ensure continuous availability throughout the winter.

Calcium chloride is the product of choice for ice storm response. It activates at temperatures as low as -29°C and generates heat on contact with ice, accelerating melting. For extreme ice loading (3 to 5 mm of glaze ice), a two-stage application — initial calcium chloride, followed by manual scoring with a flat shovel to break the ice plate, followed by a second application — is the most effective approach.