There’s nothing like laying in the grass on a sunny spring day. And the smell of fresh cut grass in the summer easily brings back memories of childhood. So why are more and more homeowners choosing to install artificial grass in place of natural grass? After all, when we think of artificial grass it’s usually at a sporting event or in an arena. How could that possibly look good on the front lawn? What will the neighbors think? Surprisingly, homeowners are quickly discovering the benefits of artificial grass. Besides being much greener than natural grass, it is much easier to maintain, which saves them hours each week in yard maintenance. But even though the grass may be greener, it still isn’t perfect. As with anything, there are a few drawbacks.
Artificial Grass Pros
Who doesn’t love the idea of saving time, money and water? Statistics show that the average savings with artificial grass is 55 gallons of water per year! Think about how much more time you will save if you don’t have to mow your lawn. The average homeowner spends 3 hours a week on maintenance. However, owning synthetic grass is still not completely maintenance free. You will need to keep it clean by raking and rinsing with water, especially if you have pets. But the durability of artificial grass is unbelievable; it can last 15-20 years in heavy use conditions. It does not provide any sort of habitat for lawn pests and insects, which usually cause damage to your natural grass. And thanks to technology, synthetic grass looks more real than ever before! Gone are the days when you could spot an artificial lawn from miles away. Now artificial grass has a UV stabilizer to protect it from fading in the sunlight.
Durability of Artificial Grass
While natural lawns can be demanding and require a lot of work, artificial lawns need far less care. Natural lawns can develop unsightly brown spots, weeds, and infestations. But artificial grass can put up with heavy use as it does not provide a natural habitat for animals like gophers, moles, and insects who are notorious for damaging lawns.
Artificial Grass Cons
Ask any homeowner with artificial grass and the unanimous drawback will almost always be the temperature. It has been shown and documented to be 86.5 degrees hotter than natural grass when tested under similar conditions. Natural grass has water within, which allows it to stay cool. The type of synthetic grass plays a major part on the temperature. For example, black crumb rubber will make the turf hotter compared to organic product like coconut fibers. Some homeowners choose to install a subsurface cooling system to keep temperatures down. Another drawback of synthetic grass is the potential health concerns. There have been debates about the use of recycled rubber tire crumbs as a filler. In 2016, a research action plan was put into place to collect more information on this study, and as of right now there is no evidence that proves whether there is a danger or not. Furthermore, artificial grass is costly to install because the natural grass needs to be removed and there is ground prep work that needs to be done prior to installation. For temperature-controlled turf, an irrigation system would need to be installed – an even greater expense.
Runoff
Natural grass and the natural landscaping that is apart of it are conducive to allowing runoff from rain to seep down into the soil. Although artificial grass is strategically designed to allow some water to soak through, heavy rains may cause a problem. If the soil under the artificial grass becomes compacted, the storm water will run off and carry debris with it. This can lead into sewers and streams and cause them to become polluted.
Artificial Grass Costs
The price difference from artificial grass to natural sod is quite different with turf priced at 5- 20 dollars per Sq. Ft., and sod priced 14-60 cents per Sq. Ft. However, Farimarket contractors estimate that turf pays for itself in about 3-5 years due to the lack of maintenance costs. By using the Fairmarket home management app, homeowners can get bids from local contractors and chose one that best meets their needs. Fairmarket’s technology gives you the ability to get bids quickly, without contractors coming out to measure your lawn or doing any tedious footwork on your own. You can look through each contractor’s profile, chat with them, and view their ratings and reviews to help you decide. With Fairmarket, you can easily manage all of your ongoing jobs and keep track of your home maintenance costs.
Artificial grass might be the way of the future. Find a professional installer by going on the Fairmarket home management app. This will ensure proper install so you can enjoy your turf for years to come! If you decide against artificial grass, Fairmarket makes it easy to set up automated yard maintenance so you can enjoy your yard, without having to worry about the constant upkeep.
Sources
https://www.gardenista.com/posts/pros-and-cons-artificial-grass-versus-a-live-lawn-hardscaping-101/
