Contractor Rieth-Riley issued a warning/disclaimer/statement to the City of Michigan City and Global Engineering regarding the use of salt and other de-icing agents on new concrete. Global sent it to text subscribers and I posted on the City’s Facebook page. But I wanted to send the message to you all as well so that our local news outlets can help us to spread the word. This is the message:

“Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc. would like to caution you that salt and other chemical de-icing agents tend to cause damage to concrete surfaces that are less than one year old. This damage can include spalling, pop-outs and similar issues. Because of this fact, we strongly recommend that no salt or chemical de-icing agents be used, or at least very sparingly, during the 2024-2025 winter season. Rieth-Riley cannot be held responsible for the use/over-use of salt and chemical de-icers on concrete.”

With cold temps and snow in our near future, it’s probably a good idea to be proactive in getting this info out to the public. We also recommend snow removal on a regular basis to help maintain the integrity of the new concrete.