A walk around a southern California neighborhood may reveal that many of your neighbors are making the switch to artificial turf in light of the years-long droughts that our state has been subject to in recent years. The question is – are these synthetic lawns actually more environmentally friendly than the natural ones we’ve been working on for years?
Artificial turf uses a combination of nylon and latex configured to best approximate the green color of natural lawns and protect it from exposure in the sun. This is done using a number of industrial processes that creates the nylon and dyes it, weaves it into a number of strands that are then stitched to create a ‘carpet’.
Once the carpet is complete, latex is sprayed onto the individual ‘blades’ as well as the back to create a stronger backing, which is then heated under lamps to cure the latex. These are then rolled into a package and sent to the installer.
The installation process is begun with a bulldozer leveling compacted soil or concrete. A steam roller is then required to further level and smooth the surface, at which point an intricate drainage system needs to be installed, as there is almost no ability for the compacted surface to absorb any water.
It’s a pretty complex system, but when you compare it to a ‘natural’ lawn, you have to take into consideration the hours of work and complex combinations of fertilizers that are required to keep your grass healthy and presentable. Combine this with the hundreds of gallons of water a biological turf needs every year, you have your own localized ecological disaster sitting in front of your house!
Synthetic lawns, on the other hand, are a one-and-done deal. You roll out the carpet, cut it into the appropriate shape, and seal it to the base, and you then don’t have to think about it for the next 20 years.
There are definitely pros and cons to both artificial and biological turfs, but in a naturally parched state like California, anything we can do to limit the amount of water a household uses is going to have much more positive effects than negative ones. Natural lawns across the state use hundreds of thousands of gallons, and some small dent in that number can only be a good thing.
The key to an artificial turf is the skill and experience of the people installing it. Without that, you get flooded and soggy lawns that are havens for mosquitos due to improper drainage, or even something as pedestrian as a poorly shaped lawn with ragged edges due to shoddy workmanship.
In other words, if you’re looking to make the switch and save on water costs for your home, it’s imperative that you hire the experts for your new synthetic grass installation. For Orange County readers, that means calling up NoMow Turf, the best turf installation company in our great county.
Established in 2005, the guys at NoMow have been wowing customers and clients installing their products from residential homes to golf courses. With a 5-star Yelp review score, they are easily one of the best reviewed company of their kind we’ve ever seen.
Considering getting rid of the hassle that is your natural lawn? Give these guys a call:
NoMow Turf
(855) 968-8873
26674 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest, CA 92630