St. Louis, Missouri (First Alert 4) – Amid a long stretch of hot and humid weather with minimal precipitation, some snow removal companies are looking forward to a byproduct of the heat wave.

Most companies buy enough salt to last through the coming winter. The salt is shipped by barge down the Mississippi River to St. Louis and stored in large bins until it is purchased.

“We’ve actually been waiting for a heat wave like this,” said Chris Richard of American Snow and Ice.

Richard said his company often waits until the hottest summer weather to buy salt for the coming winter because warmer weather usually means less moisture in the salt. Drier salt weighs less, he said, and companies can get more for their money by ordering it by the ton.

“We have been waiting for this time and are preparing to fill our salt containers to the brim,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Transportation said they begin soliciting bids for salt in May. This year they purchased 80,000 tons of salt for about $6.6 million. Delivery of the salt is an additional cost depending on the location. MoDOT requires manufacturers and sellers to meet a certain moisture standard.

The warm summer months are also busy for maintenance crews. At American Snow and Ice in Maryland Heights, maintenance has been going on for months as mechanics replace parts worn down by the caustic chemicals in the salt.

Trucks and fleets often need to have their brake pads replaced every 5,000 miles.

“Braking is always important, but it is even more important when our drivers are on the road in slippery conditions,” said Richard. “It is thanks to this hard work during the hot summer months that our seasonal workers who come in during the winter are able to work successfully.”

American Snow and Ice said a preliminary forecast from its private meteorologists calls for a winter of average to above-average snowfall and ice.

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