Before you invest your hard-earned money in artificial turf, here are a few reasons you might think twice about it!
1. It’s expensive!
About 10-30 times more than live turf grass, depending on the style of artificial turf you choose.
2. It’s extremely hot during the summer months and can easily be as hot as asphalt.
Your children or pets will not be able to play on it until it is cooled down. To do that, you will have to soak it with many gallons of cold water. WHAT? Isn’t that why you considered it in the first place? To “save on water”, but now you have to soak it WITH water just to “enjoy” using it? Now that doesn’t make much sense…does it?
3. It’s difficult to keep clean.
The easiest way requires large amounts of water to wash away the dirt. That water will run straight into the storm drains and NOT back into the aquifer, opposite the water you would use on live turf. Or you can choose to vacuum it, but since it’s such a huge investment, you’ll want to make sure you maintain it properly by having it professionally cleaned.
4. You trade one for another. Maybe you’ll save a little on your water bill, but not as much as you can save on your electric bill by having LIVE turf in areas surrounding your home or office.
The lawn area (approx. 1000 sq.ft. per home) in a block of eight average homes has the cooling effect of about 70 tons of refrigerated air-conditioning. One ton of refrigerated air-conditioning will cool approximately 400 sq.ft. of interior space. The average home requires about 3-4 ton of cooling capacity to perform its function. Artificial turf will not cool your homes exterior or help with your electric bill in any way.
5. Artificial turf isn’t environmentally friendly as you think.
REAL turf absorbs all types of airborne pollutants, such as soot, dust and carbon dioxide, as well as noise. Artificial turf does not.
IMPORTANT ARTIFICIAL TURF ARTICLES
Please read the articles below, prior to purchasing and installing artificial turf:
Fake grass has a drawback: It gets too hot, study says
The Las Vegas Sun
(Real) Turfgrass to replace artificial turf at Toronto’s BMO Field
Athletic Turf News
TFC (Toronto’s BMO Field) could be on (real) grass by start of next season
The Toronto Star
Artificial Turf: Does it Increase the Risk of Sports Injuries?
Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY
At City’s Synthetic Fields, High Lead Levels Fuel Debate
The New York Times
Synthetic Turf Playing Fields Present Unique Dangers
University of Missouri
Artificial Turf Cleaning Tips
Yep, you really DO have to clean it!
Reporter questions plan to irrigate synthetic fields
Athletic Turf News
