Why Does Dust Need to Be Controlled on Roads?
Dust is produced when loose soil particles detach from the ground surface and fly into the air. These particles of dust are not only annoying, they can also lead to health concerns and damages. People who inhale an excess amount of dust can have difficulty breathing which can lead to coughing. Dust in the air also reduces visibility and leads to skin and eye irritation. Vehicles and property can also be damaged by dust, as it enters cracks in machinery and homes and causes problems. Excessive dust production has many negative consequences and can be avoided with a simple road dust control solution offered by Rasevic Companies.
What Types of Roads Require Dust Control?
There are many different road surfaces that can benefit from dust control. The most important ones to treat are those that receive a lot of vehicle and pedestrian traffic, as this emphasizes dust production and increases the risk of harmful consequences. Dirt roads produce a lot of dust, as well as dirt parking lots or other dirt road surfaces. Additionally, construction sites require dust control to optimize the efficiency and work environment for both the crew members and equipment. Dust control at construction sites leads to increased road stabilization and safety as well as lower maintenance costs. Baseball fields are another surface that could benefit from dust control, as application of a dust suppressant could help improve visibility for players and spectators. Dust control is also beneficial for quarries to improve air quality for workers and reduce the amount of necessary road repairs. In addition, solar farms require professional dust control services to prevent against wind erosion and harden road surfaces. Dirt roads and parking lots, construction sites, baseball fields, quarries, and solar farms are only a few of the road surfaces that can benefit from professional dust control, with the list continuing on to include any area that produces an excessive amount of dust.
How to Control Dust
With dust control being such a necessary service, how do you actually prevent dust production? There are a number of ways to stop dust, with the most popular being chloride products, water trucks, and reducing vehicle traffic and speed over the affected area.
Magnesium and Calcium Chloride
Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride are both hygroscopic salt products that absorb moisture from the air and utilize it to keep road surfaces damp, effectively trapping loose soil particles and preventing their release into surrounding air. These chloride products can minimize dust production for extended periods of time with a single application. Magnesium and Calcium Chloride are the most popular and recommended forms of dust control, as their concentration of chlorides allows them to effectively keep road surfaces damp for longer and thus suppress dust more effectively compared to other methods of dust control.
While you can purchase Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride and apply them manually, this is not recommended, as an improper application can lead to skin irritation or fail to prevent dust production.
Water Trucks
Another way to prevent dust production is to mimic the effects of chloride products by continuously watering the effected area to keep the road surface damp and trap dust particles. While this solution will work short term, it requires a constant supply of water on the area to continue to prevent dust. Additionally, you must have access to water trucks and a crew to operate them. While water may seem like a more cost effective alternative, in the end it will actually end up being more expensive and time consuming to keep applying water to your dirt road or construction site.
Reducing Vehicle Traffic and Speed
One of the ways dust production can be elevated is with an influx of vehicle traffic traveling at high speeds. This friction releases the dust particles from the road surface and sends them flying into the air. If possible, less dust would be produced if you could reduce the amount of vehicles that travel over your dirt road. High speeds product more dust, so lowering the speed limit will also lower the amount of dust produced. Reducing vehicle traffic and speed can be an effective solution in the short term if you do not have access to professional dust control services and products right away, however this is not sustainable for most dust producing services, especially if your dirt roads are important travel roads.
How to Apply Dust Control Products
With the most popular and recommended road dust control solution being Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride products, these hygroscopic salts are best applied professionally. Large road surfaces such as dirt parking lots or dirt roads require a sprayer truck to effectively apply the product over the entire surface area evenly. Smaller areas such as sidewalks or tight corners may also require a handheld spreader to get the product to reach all types of spaces while maintaining an even application. It is important to work with a professional dust control crew to apply Magnesium or Calcium Chloride, as these products can cause skin irritation if not handled properly. Additionally, an uneven application could leave you with areas of your dirt road that still product dust. This could lead to requiring a second application and more time and energy spent. A professional dust control company such as Rasevic has the proper equipment and knowledge to apply your dust suppressant quickly and effectively to help minimize your dust production. One application of either chloride product can help keep your dirt lot or baseball field free of dust for weeks.
Professional Dust Control Services with Rasevic Companies
Rasevic recommends that you utilize the power of Magnesium and Calcium Chloride to prevent excess dust production on your construction sites, dirt roads, baseball fields, quarries, and all other dust producing road surfaces. Dust is not only an annoying hinderance, but also a safety hazard that can be easily avoided with a dust suppressant. Minimize dust production today with Rasevic Companies and enjoy your outdoor space this season! Click here to contact Rasevic or fill out the form below to get a quote on your next dust control project.
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