Is dust from gravel roads ruining the use of your outdoor space or leaving vehicles and pedestrians covered in unwanted dust? Dust is not only a hindrance, but it can also lead to health and safety consequences if not properly treated. Luckily, a professional dust control company can easily eliminate dust from your gravel roads with a simple application of chloride products. Continue reading to learn more about the dangers of dust and how to control it.
Why Does Dust Form on Gravel Roads?
Dust forms when loose soil and dirt particles escape from the top layer of a ground surface. This is most common on dirt or gravel roads that contain lots of excess loose gravel pieces. Movement across a gravel road also increases dust, as the gravel pieces smash together and give off more dust particles into the air.
What are the Consequences of Not Treating a Dusty Gravel Road?
Dust can be annoying and leave your vehicle dirty or even the outside of your property dusty if located near a gravel or dirt road. Long-term exposure to dust can actually lead to negative health effects such as excessive coughing and difficulty breathing. Typically construction workers are most at risk for these symptoms, as they can be surrounded by dust all day while working on a job. Vehicles, machines, and equipment can be damaged from dust particles infiltrating into their systems and cause malfunctions or other repairs. All of these negative consequences from dust exposure can be easily avoided with chloride products.
What Solutions are Available to Control Dust on Gravel Roads?
The best way to control dust produced by gravel roads is to apply dust control chloride products such as Calcium Chloride or Magnesium Chloride. While there are also natural ways such as paving the road, consistently watering the area, and reducing vehicle traffic and speed across your gravel roads, these solutions are usually more difficult or temporary.
Calcium Chloride for Dust Control
Calcium Chloride is a hygroscopic salt that absorbs moisture from the air and keeps the ground surface damp to trap in loose soil and dirt particles and prevent dust. Calcium Chloride is the strongest dust control product with 83-90% chloride concentration. This high chloride concentration allows Calcium Chloride to prevent dust on your gravel roads more effectively after only one application. Calcium Chloride is applied to your dust-producing gravel road and will continue to eliminate dust production for extended periods of time, no matter the weather condition. While this product is very effective at minimizing dust, it can have negative effects on the surrounding environment. It is not recommended for use on gravel roads that receive a high volume of animal traffic or border plant life.
Magnesium Chloride for Dust Control
The other type of dust control product that is available to treat gravel roads is Magnesium Chloride. This is another hygroscopic salt that also absorbs moisture from the air to keep the ground surface damp and prevent dust. Magnesium Chloride is slightly less concentrated than Calcium Chloride, meaning this product requires slightly more applications to be as effective. Magnesium Chloride is a more environmentally friendly alternative to Calcium Chloride, as its lower chloride concentrations make it less irritating and toxic. Magnesium Chloride is the better product choice if your gravel roads are located near plants or animal life.
Pave all Gravel Roads
The number one way to completely eliminate any worry of dust from a gravel road is to pave the road. Gravel produces dust due to the loose soil and dirt that escapes into the air, and pavement eliminates this problem. Of course, paving can be very expensive and not a practical solution for most dust control cases, but it is definitely one option to avoid dust.
Water the Gravel Road
Another natural way to minimize dust production on a gravel road is to keep watering the area consistently. This prevents dust because the water keeps the ground surface damp, which locks in loose soil and dirt particles. While this solution may seem easy, water evaporates very quickly, especially in hotter conditions, so you would need to have the equipment and crew to continuously apply water. Water trucks can be expensive and not available, and one application of a chloride product is a much simpler and efficient dust control solution.
Reduce Vehicle Traffic and Speed Across Gravel Roads
Reducing vehicle traffic and speed across your gravel roads will minimize dust production because cars and trucks traveling fast over gravel produce more dust. Slower speeds offer less momentum, and therefore you will see less dust escape. Additionally, fewer vehicles traveling on the roads will also lead to less dust on your gravel roads. This solution may not be possible if your gravel roads are essential travel routes or have a strict speed limit that can’t be changed.
How to Apply Dust Control for Gravel Roads
Dust Control products such as Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride are best applied by a dust control professional such as Rasevic Companies. This is because professional equipment such as tank trucks with sprayers or handheld spreaders is the best way to apply dust control products. If you do not have access to this equipment, you’ll want to consult a professional dust control company. Additionally, chloride products can be irritating to your skin without the use of proper protection. A professional application will also save you time and money because there will be less product waste, and one product application will last longer on your gravel road to prevent dust.
Professional Dust Control for Gravel Roads with Rasevic Companies
Rasevic Companies is the leading dust control company in the Mid-Atlantic and offers a knowledgeable and experienced crew to help eliminate dust from your gravel roads. Rasevic utilizes Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride products to help minimize dust production with one simple, long-lasting solution. Fill out the form below to get a free quote on your next dust control job!
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