What to use to melt ice

[letterman]

I could not get in one part of my barn yesterday, where I keep chickens and other small animals. I can not remove the windows without destroying them, since they are attached from the inside, and I can not remove the metal barn siding because I dug the sheets about

10 inches into the ground to keep coons from digging under the shed to kill chickens.

I installed the door with slopeing soil in front and made the door 5 inches above ground level and put a chunk of railroad tie into the ground and nailed a 4x6 on top by the door (also so coons can not get in). Anyhow, the door is normally 5 inches above ground level, and with the tapered ground in front, it opens to nearly 10 inches above the ground. There is also a 30 inch overhang above the door. I built it last summer and intentionally made it this way so I would not get a snow buildup blocking the door.

However, we have had the most severe winter in years. Even after shoveling and plowing snow away from doors and walkways, there is literally a two foot (or more) snowpack everywhere. I now hit my head on that overhang all the time because I forget about it. We keep going from snow storms to partial melts and back below zero.

What has happened is that I would shovel by those doors, but we have been having occasional melting then freezing. All the water has run into the shoveled out section on front of that door because there is no place for it to go. Well, now it's above the door and I can not get inside. I was able to take off a small piece of metal siding above one of the windows yesterday, so I could toss a bucket of feed in there and lower a pail of water with a rope. However, I will need to get in there somehow, and soon.

I thought about taking the door off at the hinges, but it's still frozen into the ice and even if I get it off, then I will have coons getting the chickens. This is solid ice, not just frozen snow.

What can I pour on that ice to melt it, but not eat away the metal siding of the building? I know rock salt will ruin the metal. I know there are other chemicals made for ice, but which would be safe on the metal? OR Is there something electrical or propane powered that will work but not set the shed on fire? I know a regular propane torch would melt the ice and I could keep it away from the wood, but that would likely take hours. I have a torpedo heater but how would I direct the flame and heat at the ground? Normally I find a way to deal with this sort of thing, but this one has me at a loss.

Yes, I could take an ax and chop at it for hours, but that will keep happening every day, unless I can chop it to bare ground for about 30 feet from the door so the water runs toward a ditch. Maybe they make some tool that I don't know about.....

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

[nicksanspam]

How about a sump pump with a float switch and a 30' hose?

And a garden hose running fresh cold water into the trench to melt ice. Then gradually move the end of the sump pump hose back towards the door.

Nick

[Jack]

They make a tool known as a PICK AXE that with a bit of muscle you can break up the ice and shovel it out of the way. Every farm should have one handy.Any decent hardware store should carry them in stock. Jack

[BobK207]

I'd fit up the torpedo heater with some heating duct fittings....a couple adjustable elbows & a round to rectangular adapter. Set the heater crossways to the slope (that will keep it level), fit up the duct works & fire it up. Maybe a plywood or cardboard "tunnel" placed our the ice would help as well.

A sump pump to take advantage of the thaws would help too.

cheers Bob

[Tom G]

Build a leanto over the door area using a big tarp and then direct your torpedo heater into the leanto until all of the snow/ice is melted. Use a small sump pump to pump the water out as it melts. Or contact your local cemetary staff to see what they use to open a grave in the Winter and if there is anyway you could rent such a device or hire someone with such a device to come melt away your problem.

Tom G.

[Stephen King]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Stop sending fake messages here.

[ransley]

Calcium Chloride should not harm concrete or plants and maybe not metal, it melts at lower temps than salt.

[Harry K]

com:

Ah, a man with a mind like mine! I have been wondering when someone would call 'troll'. There is enough clues in the OP to make it obious that such a biuld up of ice could not happen.

Harry K

[Phisherman]

Salt (even nitrogen fertilizer) will attack metal, and salt doesn't work well under 20 degrees. Put a heater nearby to start the melting process, then use a shovel to remove the remaining ice. Redirect the water away from the door or put an awning over it.

[Chris Lewis]

According to Phisherman :

You'd need one heck of a lot of salt and considerable time to melt your way thru a foot or two of ice anyway.

[hallerb]

i have had similiar troubles like this

[Chris Lewis]

According to :

Heh. Here in the lower end of the great white north, we're up over 11' of snow (2nd highest on record) fallen so far this year, and it looks like we might just break the 13' record over the weekend.

_Despite_ having building code that insists on 50 pound/square foot loading, things are getting a bit dicey. We've already shovelled the garage roof once.

[There's about 2' accumulated snow and ice on it now. But we're not doing it again]

There's a 4' berm of hard frozen snow in front of the garage. No getting vehicles into that garage until the spring.

[Stephen King]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

You're full of it and a big baby. Every year we get about 120 inches of snow. This year we've had lots of freezing rain and sleet. The scenario you give is so fake. Of course if you don't ever clear out the snow, the snow will create an ice pack. I've lived in the north my whole life where bitter temps and snow everyday in winter is just a normal thing. Never had any of these stupid things you claim. If you'd spend some time taking care of the property instead of writing idiot messages you wouldn't have your so-called problem.