Have you found yourself spending more and more time maintaining your natural grass lawn than in years prior? If so, it is not your imagination, rather, it is a trend being felt across the United States as weather patterns change/adapt.
Environmentally conscious homeowners have begun transitioning to artificial grass in recent years to reduce water use, air pollution, and their overall carbon footprint with the added benefit of decreasing their time spent on lawn maintenance. Not everyone though is convinced of the benefits of artificial grass.
At Suntex Turf, we believe in the power of knowledge through transparency and thus offer our customers an in-depth look at the positives and negatives of fake grass vs. real grass.
Artificial Grass Pros: Advantages of Fake Grass Lawns
Durable & Long-Lasting
One of the main advantages of the best artificial turf is the longevity and durability of modern turf products. With recent advances in technology and manufacturing in the artificial grass industry, your grass has a lifespan warranty of up to 25 years.
The synthetic turf also does a good job of keeping even the most stubborn pups from digging, and is exceptionally stain and fade resistant. This makes it very popular in designated pet areas or dog walking areas.
Low-Maintenance [Saves Time & Money]
Artificial grass maintenance can save you time and money. Reducing the time spent watering, weeding, mowing and/or fertilizing not only saves time, but money as well. Statistics show that the average natural grass lawn owner spends 70 hours a year on lawn maintenance.
Have you ever sat down and calculated how much maintaining real grass costs?
Consider these statistics:
1. Overall, Americans in total spend close to $600 Billion a year to maintain their natural grass lawns.
2. On average, the cost of hiring someone to maintain your natural grass lawn is about $1,755 dollars a year. This is just for the basics. Need extra aeration, seeding, grub treatment, top dressings, fertilizer, weed control, etc.? That is going to cost you even more!
3. When you do not have the time to maintain your lawn, it goes by the wayside and ends up dead and overrun with weeds. Once that happens, you are looking at an additional $2,000 to correct the issues that arose from lack of maintenance.
Environmentally Friendly
More and more homeowners each year are becoming aware of the harmful impact that various lawn agents can have on the environment. A synthetic grass lawn does not require a gas-powered lawnmower to maintain, or potentially harmful chemicals like fertilizer or pesticides for maintenance. Switching to an artificial grass lawn is a great way to help save the environment.
Conserves Water
Water conservation is not just great for the planet, it’s great for your wallet too.
Outdoor water use accounts for almost one-third of the water used in the average American home and this figure rises in hotter, drier regions, like Texas, where it can be as high as 70%.
Residential outdoor water accounts for nearly 9 billion gallons of water per day, most of which is used to water gardens and lawns. About 50% of water is wasted through overwatering, mainly due to inefficient irrigation methods and systems.
However, artificial grass requires no watering, saving you money and the environment in the process.
No Pesticides or Fertilizers Needed
In addition to plenty of water, proper garden maintenance requires the use of fertilizers and pesticides—both of which contain powerful chemicals that pollute oceans and groundwater. Artificial grass, on the other hand, does not require fertilizers, pesticides, and other herbicides to maintain its beauty.
Americans spread approximately 80 million pounds of fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides on their lawns each year. Inevitably, some of it finds its way into our water supply. Switching to artificial grass can help reduce these numbers, ensuring our water remains clean and safe to drink for decades to come.
Safety & Cleanliness
Kids and pets are an important aspect of any family. Ensuring both have a safe and secure place to play is vital. Luckily, artificial grass can help alleviate some of the concerns associated with natural grass lawns.
For residential artificial grass applications, Suntex Turf utilizes a few eco-friendly, safe infill options to weigh down the turf to keep it secured, safe, and ready for play.
The benefits of artificial turf in terms of improving playground safety are significant and add an added layer of peace of mind when your kids are playing outdoors.
1. Injury prevention and mitigation caused by falls
2. Mud and Dirt free! Leaving your kids much cleaner than a traditional lawn
As a pet owner, you want to ensure that you are providing your four-legged friends with a safe and comfortable dog-friendly backyard for play and leisure.
Artificial grass benefits dogs and pet owners in a variety of ways.
1. 100% Permeable turf backing options allow for urine to flow through with no barriers to reach the soil for optimal drainage
2. Eliminates dead grass patches that can be caused by dog urine spots
3. Prevents digging (with minimal supervision of course)
4. Keeps dogs & pets clean from mud, dirt, etc.
Artificial Grass Cons: Disadvantages of Synthetic Grass Lawns
As stated at the beginning of this article, we want to give you the big picture of artificial grass so you can make an informed decision. In order to do this, we have to discuss the disadvantages of artificial grass, or the disadvantages of artificial grass.
Installation Cost
Artificial grass is a long-term investment for you and therefore costs more than traditional landscaping projects.
In order to better understand your project and calculate the cost, please contact sjhaih@com
Heats Up in Direct Sunlight
Artificial grass heats up when it is exposed to the sun for most of the summer. It can get very hot over time, especially in climates with more direct sunlight. Some artificial grass manufacturers include cooling technology in the manufacturing process, but this increases the cost.
Final Thoughts on Artificial Grass Pros & Cons
All things considered, artificial grass is a great investment for homeowners who want to decrease maintenance time and costs, want to keep kids and pets safe, and are looking to do their part to decrease their carbon footprint.
Though the initial cost and limited maintenance are potential drawbacks, the Pros definitely outweigh the few Cons.
We have artificial turf products for every situation, free quotes, and world-class customer support.
Post time: Nov-23-2022