It wasn’t that long ago that the notion of installing artificial turf in a residential setting seemed far-fetched. Turf was expensive, it looked fake, and it didn’t hold up to the elements. All these issues made it so that artificial grass was predominantly used by businesses, golf courses, and the wealthy.
But times are changing and advances in turf have made it much more affordable for homeowners. More importantly, new artificial turf looks great and it fits a variety of purposes, including small putting greens and backyard settings.
At the same time, artificial turf can help homeowners save money in the long run. In this blog post, we’ll review some of the major ways that artificial turf, while an investment up front, helps customers save money in the long run.
You’ll Save Water with Artificial Grass
If you are like the typical homeowner, you have a lawn to tend to. That likely means time and money spent on landscaping, mowing, and fertilizing.
One aspect of lawn care that is not optional, however, is water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average residence uses about 100,000 gallons of water a year, and much of that is for watering plants and grass. In fact, the average well-cared-for lawn will require 55 gallons of water per square foot a year. If you have a lawn of any significant size, then that starts to add up fast.
But if you have an artificial grass lawn, then water isn’t necessary. Turf doesn’t need rainwater, it doesn’t need additional watering from a hose, and it doesn’t need care or maintenance for dying or dried-out grass.
This is good news for homeowners and GREAT news for locations that have restrictions on water usage. In either case, homeowners that use turf as a significant part of their lawn can expect savings on their water bills.
It Makes Lawn Care Easy
A good-looking lawn doesn’t just happen. It takes time, money, and effort to maintain, along with a struggle with the elements. And there is no guarantee that your hard work is going to pay off in the long run. Long summers and long winters can sabotage any effort to keep your grass in tip-top shape.
Artificial turf, however, mitigates that work with a lawn that doesn’t need maintenance. No watering, no mowing, and no tending means. This means you can take a hands-off approach to your lawn without ruining it.
It’s Beautiful All Year Round
And that great lawn looks great all year round. Artificial turf, especially modern turf, is strong and resistant to damage from normal wear and tear. But more importantly, you have a resistant material that stands up to snow, rain, hail, and summer sun equally well. Turf doesn’t die, it doesn’t wilt or turn brown, and it doesn’t need any special attention due to extreme weather conditions. It also looks more and more like the real thing every year—and it does so without needing any special care. Just follow the special instructions of your cleaner to keep your turf in top condition.
It Provides Leisure, Beauty, and Fun
Perhaps most importantly, turf gives you controllable and flexible covering for almost any sort of space you want. Turf can serve as a covering for areas like:
- Dog runs
- Fenced-in backyards
- Porch or deck entertaining areas
- Practice putting greens
This sort of luxury was often seen as extravagant and way above the budget of typical South Carolina homeowners. As artificial turf becomes more and more affordable, however, the ways in which homeowner can implement turf become more realistic.
A common use for turf at home is the practice putting green. Artificial turf makes a practice green look like a professional one. What’s more, landscapers skilled in turf installation can put a green anywhere in a yard and integrate it with the look of the surrounding landscape.
Don’t Worry About Pets
A major concern for any turf owner, especially a residential turf owner, is pet mess. Living grass and soil will absorb pet messes, or make it easier to clean up pet messes, whenever they happen. Older models of turf didn’t really address this issue, however, and this has made having a pet on artificial grass difficult.
With modern artificial turf, however, you get easy-to-clean material purpose-built for drainage and cleanliness. Pet messes can simply be hosed off if natural rainfall doesn’t clean them initially. And modern pet-friendly turf is built to last—even when dogs try to dig or scratch them on a regular basis.
Buying Turf for Your Home Is a Viable Option
Artificial grass may have seemed to be prohibitively expensive in the past, and in many ways it was. The materials and the installation were expensive, and having it installed in a home seemed to be something that only the wealthy did. But as prices have dropped and the quality of materials has increased, installing turf in a residential setting is a real option.
Now, turf is still an up-front investment. But once you pay for the turf itself and the installation, then it starts to pay for itself with lower water costs and a maintenance-free appearance. And that’s not to mention how amazing that artificial turf can look in an area where you regularly entertain… or on that putting green in the backyard.
If you’ve ever considered installing turf but thought it wasn’t for you, then learn more about specific brands of turf and the nearby turf specialists in your area. They will answer any questions you have and get you started with your amazing new lawn.
