Why You Need Professional Dust Control for Gravel Road Surfaces

Why Treat Dust-Producing Gravel Roads?

Gravel roads produce an excess amount of dust as loose soil and gravel particles escape from the ground surface. The release of gravel particles is heightened with vehicle and pedestrian traffic, meaning that gravel roads with frequent use require professional dust control services in order to prevent dust. Dust is not only an annoying hindrance, it can actually damage vehicles and lead to health and safety hazards for pedestrians in the surrounding area. Dust can permeate small cracks and crevices of vehicles and lead to equipment malfunctions and damages. This is also true for property near gravel roads, as dust can get into the structure of homes and buildings as well. People who are exposed to large amounts of dust are at risk for difficulty breathing, excessive coughing, and eye and skin irritation. If your town or business has gravel roads that are used frequently for vehicle or pedestrian travel, dust control is necessary to protect the health and safety of those travelers. Read more to learn about dust control for gravel road surfaces.

Dust Control Treatment for a Gravel Road

There are a variety of different options to treat your dust-producing gravel road, ranging from reducing vehicle speed and traffic, water trucks, and chloride products. Read more to explore the different options and see which one is right to control dust on your gravel road.

Reduce Vehicle Speed and Traffic

One way to minimize dust production from a gravel road is to reduce the speed of vehicles traveling over the gravel road. This can be done by adjusting the speed limit or adding a slow traffic sign. When vehicles drive at faster speeds over gravel, more dust particles are kicked into the air. If cars moved slower, some of this dust production could be minimized. Additionally, reducing the amount of traffic on a gravel road can also slow excessive dust production, as the less amount of vehicles moving loose gravel particles, the less amount of dust will be produced. While this solution may seem simple, if your gravel road is essential for many people to get to school, home, or work, this option may not be possible. Providing alternate routes and detours could provide a temporary solution, however, if you cannot eliminate a large amount of traffic volume, this may not be the right dust control option for your gravel road.

Consistently Water the Gravel Road

Another method of suppressing dust is to keep the gravel surface area damp by consistently watering it. This is achieved with a water truck and crew members to keep the water supply flowing. While this method may seem more convenient and potentially cost-effective, water evaporates quickly, meaning applications must be very frequent to keep the ground surface damp and prevent dust. Additionally, hiring a crew and the necessary equipment can add up in combination with access to large water supplies. If you need a quick or temporary solution to suppress dust, watering the area can provide short-term relief, however, it is not recommended as a long-term solution without easy access to the necessary equipment.

Chloride Products

The most popular dust control solution for a gravel road is to treat the ground surface with a chloride product such as Magnesium Chloride or Calcium Chloride. These hygroscopic salts absorb moisture from the air and use it to trap loose gravel and soil particles by keeping the ground damp. One application of either of these chloride products keeps gravel roads for extended periods of time, making it a much more effective solution compared to just water. Additionally, Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride will not dry up or evaporate in even the most extreme heats. While the products are very similar in their makeup and effectiveness, Calcium Chloride is technically the most efficient chloride dust control product due to the higher concentration of chlorides in the product. Magnesium Chloride has a lower concentration of chlorides, which makes it the more environmentally friendly dust control option, as it is safer for surrounding plant and animal life. A professional dust control company will be able to evaluate your gravel road and recommend the best chloride option for your job.

Pave Your Gravel Roads

The ultimate long-term solution to dust produced by gravel roads is of course to pave the road. Paved roads do not produce excessive amounts of dust because there are no loose soil or gravel particles to escape into the surrounding air. Paving can be very costly and take a long time while also blocking access to the road until the job is complete. If paving is an option for your commercial business or town, it will eliminate dust, however, the next best option is to utilize the effectiveness of chloride dust control products.

Professional Dust Control Services and Chloride Application

Both Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride are best applied by a professional dust control service such as Rasevic Companies. A professional crew will be able to evaluate your gravel road and determine the best chloride product and amount of product for the job. The best way to apply these chloride products is with a sprayer truck. Utilizing a professional truck allows for an even and consistent application, ensuring that you will not leave any surface area untreated. For smaller gravel areas or sidewalks, a handheld spreader may also be used to produce the same professional application on a smaller scale for all your tight spaces. Make sure to consult with a dust control professional specialist for the best application results.

Hire Rasevic Companies for Professional Dust Control for your Gravel Roads

If you are ready to suppress dust from your gravel roads for longer and more efficiently, hire a professional dust control company such as Rasevic. Rasevic utilizes the top quality Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride products in combination with their diverse range of equipment to treat your gravel roads. Stop letting annoying dust production cause damages and ruin the conditions of your roads, and instead hire Rasevic to treat all your dust-producing areas! Fill out the form below to get your dust control quote today!