Having a neatly trimmed green lawn free from all the brown spots is an all-American ideal. Similar to all other American ideals, this is costly and you need to perform unending weekends of mowing, watering, and fertilizing. However, you can have a perfect lawn that is free from maintenance, pesticides, and chemicals. This is the promise made by artificial turf. The product has proliferated across the U.S. due to many droughts and strains on the water supply of the country. You will find people clamoring to exchange their sod for the artificial turf.
Some issues you need to take care of
One of the purchase green shop owners operating in Texas and California has more than 100 clients at a time interested in the installation of artificial turf at any given time. You can see a massive transition as this is considered as one of the ways of fighting the drought. You need to get rid of the ornamental lawns where a lot of the water goes. Many people are feeling compelled to decrease this waste in the backyard after watching the droughts, fires, and other disasters. However, there are some landscape architects and environmental scientists out there, that believe artificial turf is likely to cause some issues. So, what do you do? Before you schedule the installation of artificial turf, there are these things you need to keep in mind.
Water conservation is a necessity
Even though the natural grass needs potable water and the artificial turf doesn’t, the comparison doesn’t end there. There are other serious issues to consider. Grass and plants develop water so when you put into place artificial turf, you are in effect removing moisture from the atmosphere. The artificial turf also affects the runoff. Plastic can trap heat during the day and hold on to it throughout the night. It means the runoff water leaves the turf hotter than natural grass. The impermeability of the artificial turf also means that rainwater will not return to the ground for recharging the groundwater. However, the technology used for artificial grass has developed in recent years and there are cooling features available together with water permeability.
The artificial turf doesn’t last forever
The artificial turf installation can buy you years of greenery. However, these artificial lawns can buy you maintenance-free greenery for many years or you can say lower maintenance. The artificial turf will still need raking for maintaining shape. You will also require re-topping of infill rubber for a bouncy feel. However, these artificial grasses eventually do degrade. The artificial turf has an average lifespan of around ten years.
Unlike other costs involved in landscaping, the upfront investment depreciates over time. But several makers offer warranties. You need to keep this in mind while shopping. Apart from this, the artificial turf cannot be recycled easily. There are toxic chemicals found both in the crumb rubber and even in the grass in some cases. This can become a challenge when you are getting ready to throw away the turf.
The alternatives available
Having sloping lawns either real or artificial is not the only alternative available to the house owners. Rather than having lawns, native trees, permeable ground covers such as decomposed granite and crushed stones, you can mix them for creating a space you wish for. You will also be benefiting the natural ecosystem in the process. Create a design first. Have play areas for kids, seating, and pets. Then take into account the low-water options that might work. You can use permeable pavers that use water for soaking into the ground. they can be laid down for leveling the surface and sit. You may also plant native no-mow grass for your play areas.
If you are considering installing artificial turf for your home or business in the Tampa Bay area, get in touch with Artificial Turf Tampa for a free quote.