Winter de-icing
Keep ice off docks and boathouses.
Kasco de-icers and circulators sized, installed and serviced for cottages, estates and commercial waterfronts across Ontario.
How does a de-icer protect a dock?
A de-icer is a submerged motor and propeller that moves warmer water from below up to the surface. That moving water keeps a patch of open water around docks, boathouses and pilings. Without it, expanding and shifting ice can push, lift and crack structures over an Ontario winter.
We install and service Kasco de-icers and circulators, and repair them in our own motor shop.
Why ice does damage
How ice moves a dock
Water expands as it freezes, and a frozen bay pushes outward against anything locked into it. Temperature swings and wind then shift the ice sheet, dragging cribs, pilings and boathouse walls with it.
In spring, ice frozen to a structure can lift it as water levels change. A ring of open water breaks that grip, so the ice moves without taking the dock along.
Ontario’s freeze-thaw cycles repeat this many times a winter. That is why a de-icer needs to run reliably from freeze-up to break-up, and why we check it before the season starts.
What’s included
De-icing service
- Sizing and placement for the dock, boathouse or slip
- Installation and mounting
- Power and control set-up
- Seasonal removal and inspection
- Motor service in our in-house test facility
- Cable and quick disconnect checks
De-icers work through the coldest months, so an inspection before winter is the best way to avoid a mid-season failure.
Where they’re used
Who needs open water
Cottages
Docks and boathouses
Open water around cribs, pilings and boathouse slips helps protect them from ice pressure.
Estates
Ponds with fountains
Where a pond needs open water over winter after the fountain comes out for the season.
Campuses
Commercial and campus ponds
Ponds on commercial properties and campuses that need open water after the floating fountain comes out for winter.
How it works
Getting a de-icer in before freeze-up
01
Call before the cold
Book in the fall so the de-icer is installed before freezing nights arrive.
02
Size and place
We look at the structure, water depth and how much open water you need.
03
Install and test
We mount the de-icer, set up power and controls, and check it runs correctly.
04
Service
We remove and inspect units after the season, and repair motors in our shop when needed.
Our sister company
Parts, pumps and fountains ship from Fountain Depot.
Our sister company Fountain Depot, a factory-authorized Kasco Marine dealer, sells pond and dock de-icers and Kasco parts, shipped across Canada.
FAQ
De-icing questions
What is the difference between a de-icer and a bubbler?
A de-icer uses a motor and propeller to move water, while a bubbler uses air from a compressor. Both bring warmer water up to keep ice open; we recommend based on the site.
When should a de-icer go in?
Before freezing nights arrive. Call in the fall so installation is done before freeze-up.
Do you service de-icers?
Yes. Kasco de-icers go through our 17-step motor procedure in our in-house test facility. See Kasco and motor service.
Can a de-icer keep a fountain pond open over winter?
Yes. Many ponds use a de-icer after the floating fountain is removed for the season to keep an area of open water.
Do you install de-icers in cottage country?
Yes. Our crews work across cottage country, including Barrie and Simcoe County, Muskoka, the Kawarthas and Georgian Bay.
Do I need a de-icer if my dock is pulled out for winter?
Usually not for the dock itself. Fixed structures such as cribs, pilings and boathouses are the ones that need open water around them.