In Northern Ontario, Canada, ice and frozen lakes are about as common as polite hello. So it’s no surprise that Les Purcell of O’Rourke Electric sells a good number of de-icers. One customer came to Les in need of a de-icer to thaw out a frozen boathouse that sat on a bay. The boathouse sat in a cove, surrounded by about 12 inches of pure ice. Les knew a traditional de-icer wouldn’t be able to submerge to get the work done thoroughly, so he suggested an Enterprise de-icer. Enterprises are the best solution for thawing out shallow water areas without being fully submerged.
“For a shallow water application, I’m not aware of a product that works in that shallow of water other than the Enterprise,” Les said. “Normally, in deeper ponds or lakes, we chainsaw a hole through the ice until I hit the water, but the boathouse was in 10 inches of completely frozen water. We didn’t want to direct the Enterprise unit toward the shoreline because all aquatic amphibians live on the shoreline. Thawing out the shortline would stop the waterlife from hibernating, and they would die.”
The Enterprise was pointed toward the boathouse, but it ended up pushing back into the bay because it was solid ice. This caused the ice around the boathouse to remain frozen while the bay opened.
“It was almost too effective,” Les said. “Once we realized this, we quickly moved the de-icer from one area to another. It ended up opening up this guy’s entire bay because of the nature of the shoreline, so I put it on a timer on it, and it worked exceptionally.” Using the Enterprise, Les was able to pinpoint exactly where he wanted the ice to thaw.
Up in Canada, the conditions for ponds, lakes, and any water environment are pretty harsh. The added combination of brutal winter and inconsistent power makes it difficult for water applications to run. However, the Enterprise and De-icer systems that Air-O-Lator makes can hold their own, Les said. Even amid a bleak midwinter, Air-O-Lator’s Enterprise and De-icers get the job done.
At Air-O-Lator, we offer a variety of products for pond maintenance including Electric Aerators, Solar Pond Aerators, Aerating Fountain, Display Fountains, Surface Aeration, De-Icer, Mixers, and more. Our pond product line is designed to provide the most natural, energy efficient way to treat water quality problems while begin easy to use and maintain. Each unit is made in the USA and constructed from the highest grade components. If you have any questions or would like more information, contact us at 866.471.1614 today!
