How to safely de-ice your dock this winter

WARREN COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Whether on Lake George, Glen Lake or another water body, any waterfront property owner needs to know how to de-ice their docks. Ahead of Thursday night and Friday's forecasted snowfall, Warren County is looking to equip its residents with the knowledge of how to properly and safely de-ice.

The county is pushing anyone who operates a bubbler or ice eater to take a look at a new online resource that outlines what they can expect from their ice-displacing tech of choice. Information on the website includes the difference between ice eaters and bubblers, in terms of energy usage, and how much open water they create. The website also includes safety tips, and information on the risks of de-icing.

The website was created after the death of a dog last winter in a northern Warren County lake, drowning in open water. That incident sparked concern that some residents of the lower Adirondack county's many water bodies may not know the rules of how to keep things safe.

“This is an important initiative to help improve public safety on lakes in the wintertime, and to help reduce the significant amount of annual ice dock damage that results from improper use of ice control units," said Lake George Park Commission Director Dave Wick, who has been directly involved with the project. "Our thanks go to Warren County and the local citizens who spearheaded this project.”

Safety tips outlined by the county include:

• Understanding what size bubbler or ice eater fits the size of your dock
• Not directing your device to create an elongated area of open water
• Only run your de-icer for 2-4 hours every day
• Understand when in the year to cease use
• Only run the de-icer when you are able to monitor your property