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Prepare your driveway for snow, freezing rain, sleet ahead

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Hardware stores across the area are stocking up with ice melt and salt ahead of nasty weather expected Sunday night.

“Bad weather is always good for business,” Steve Fusek, owner of Fusek’s True Value, said.

The bad news? Your driveway could be icy Monday morning. The good news? You’ve got options.

Fusek and other local hardware store owners stocked up on rock salt and several other products to treat the ice. He said rock salt is an inexpensive option for parking lots and roads but can damage your driveway.

“This is really harsh,” Fusek said.

For homeowners, he recommends ice melt. Fusek is selling ice melt that he said will work in temperatures warmer than minus-7 or minus-15 degrees, depending on the product. A pet-friendly version of ice melt is also available.

“We need a big snow and we’ll hopefully sell some of these shovels as well,” Fusek said.

Storm Track 8 Meteorologist Marcus Bailey said he’s hoping the Sunday night precipitation is just snow.

He said rain or sleet could freeze when it hits the ground, even if temperatures are above freezing.

“We’ve been so cold for so long, not just below-freezing, but well-below-freezing. The ground is frozen,” Bailey said.

The folks at Fusek’s said their customer count is up 25 to 30 percent. Their top seller this winter is heaters.