When winter weather hits, government fleets go to work salting, plowing, and keeping roads open. But these operations may cause damage to the parking or maintenance facility where they are stored. Snow-removal operations can also take a toll on the parking and maintenance structures where fleet vehicles are stored, especially when moisture, deicing chemicals, and snow-removal equipment repeatedly contact concrete decks.

Western Specialty Contractors, which specializes in parking garage restoration and maintenance, offers several tips to minimize unnecessary damage to parking structures during the winter months and keep drivers safe.

Snow Removal Tips

• Clearly mark expansion joints in a way that will be visible to the equipment operator when the parking garage deck is covered with snow.
• Establish a snow removal pattern so that the plow blade approaches expansion joints, control joints, and tee-to-tee joints at an angle no greater than 75 degrees.
• Equip snowplow blades and bucket loaders with shoes or rubber guards that prevent direct contact with the deck surface.
• Do not stockpile snow on parking decks unless the structure has been evaluated for the additional load. Concentrated snow piles can add significant weight, particularly as snow becomes wet, compacted, or mixed with ice. Facility operators should follow the structure's snow-removal plan and consult a qualified structural professional if they have concerns about snow accumulation or load capacity.

Deicing/Salting Tips

Using chemical deicers to control ice and snow buildup is common; however, these chemicals can have a negative effect on concrete and reinforcing steel and should be used sparingly.

Chloride-bearing deicers can penetrate concrete and contribute to corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel, potentially accelerating deterioration and shortening the structure's service life.

Even when deicers are not applied directly to a parking deck, fleet vehicles can track salts used on surrounding roads and lots into the structure. Selecting and managing deicing materials should be part of a parking structure's overall winter maintenance plan.

• Sodium Chloride (road salt, table salt) – Common road salt can introduce chlorides into concrete. Over time, chloride exposure can contribute to corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel and deterioration of the parking structure, particularly when moisture is also present.
• Calcium Chloride – A major ingredient in most commercial deicers. Although effective at melting ice at lower temperatures, this chloride-bearing deicer should be carefully managed around concrete parking structures. Chloride intrusion can contribute to reinforcement corrosion and long-term deterioration.
• Ammonium Nitrate or Ammonium Sulfate – Products containing ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate should generally be avoided on concrete parking decks because they can contribute to deterioration of the concrete.
• Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) – CMA is a non-chloride deicing alternative that may be considered where limiting chloride exposure is a priority. Deicer selection should account for the parking structure's materials, protective systems, environmental conditions, and recommendations from the structure's engineer or maintenance plan.

It is important to minimize the amount of deicing chemical applied during the first two years of the concrete being installed. During this time, the concrete has an increased permeability, which can allow the deicing chemicals to migrate into the concrete more rapidly. As concrete ages and cures, it will become less permeable, and chemicals will not penetrate as easily.

Remember that using deicing chemicals in general is not recommended. The safest way to remove ice and snow is to use a plow. Sand can also be used to increase tire traction, but accumulated material should be removed as part of routine housekeeping, and drains should be kept clear so melting snow and ice can move off the deck rather than allowing water and contaminants to accumulate.

Winter maintenance shouldn't end with the last storm. Once conditions improve, inspect parking decks for signs of cracking, spalling, leaking, damaged joints, failed sealants, or other deterioration that may have developed or worsened during the season.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2019 and was updated in September 2026 with current industry data, examples, and resources.