If you’ve never thought about making the switch from a natural lawn to artificial grass, you may be surprised to learn that there are numerous short- and long-term benefits to doing so. Artificial turf, long thought of as an option solely for sports fields or playgrounds, could be a huge asset to your home. This makes sense, right?
The reasons sports teams and schools have relied on artificial grass—lower maintenance, year-round lushness—are the same things that most of us would love to have at home as well. Next time you take a walk around your Salem, Oregon, neighborhood, take a closer look at some of those perfect lawns and gardens. More of your neighbors have made the switch than you might think.
The experts at Sportech will walk you through some of the reasons why an artificial grass might work for your Salem home. Read on.
1. Less Work!
The most obvious benefit and the one you’ll notice right away is that artificial grass requires less maintenance than an ordinary lawn. You can immediately stop spending your free time mowing, weeding, and feeding your grass. The average household spends about 32 hours per month on lawn maintenance. A 2021 study showed that even folks with very small yards will spend around six entire days of their lives each year mowing their grass. When you install artificial grass, you can immediately ditch your lawnmower and spend those hours enjoying your yard instead of attempting to tame it.
While artificial grass requires far less maintenance, it does, of course, require its own upkeep. Leaves, pine needles, and other natural debris should be removed, but this can be accomplished quickly with a leaf-blower or even a broom. If you have outdoor pets, you may need to cleanse your lawn occasionally, which can be done with a hose. In more serious cases, high-pet-use areas or spills in the yard, a simple vinegar and water solution should keep everything in tip-top shape.
2. Water Saving
We’re trained to associate the word “natural” with things that are good for the environment and the word “artificial” with things that aren’t. This rule of thumb, however, isn’t always true. Natural lawns require an astonishing amount of water to stay green and healthy. Most areas of Oregon are temperate enough that natural grass grows throughout the year, extending the amount of time that some folks spend watering their lawns.
Last year, more than 90 percent of Oregon was considered to be in a “severe drought.” Established lawns need between one and two inches of water each week to thrive. In drought conditions, that means making the choice between using scarce resources on your lawn or letting your lawn become dry and brown. Worse, estimates show that about half of the water used on lawns becomes runoff, not benefitting the grass at all.
In the summer months, water usage in the Salem area frequently doubles or triples—an effect attributed to sprinkler systems and lawn irrigation. These efforts can cost a lot, not only environmentally but as a portion of your monthly budget. Aside from the cost of installing sprinklers or irrigation systems, your water bill can double or triple along with your water usage. Eliminating all of that could mean substantial savings for your family.
3. Safe and Clean for Pets and Kids
If you’ve ever cleaned up after a child or a pet after they’ve played in a muddy yard, you know that it’s no easy chore. Oregon is a rainy place, and mud comes with the territory, but not when you have an artificial lawn. That’s right, no more muddy footprints or pawprints. Artificial grass has much better drainage than natural grass, which keeps it from becoming a sodden mess when it’s wet. There’re also no grass stains to worry about with artificial grass.
Not only is it easier to keep mud out of the house, but you can feel good about letting your family play and the dogs run free because artificial grass is meant to withstand all of the typical grass killers: dogs digging, roughhousing kids, and high-traffic footwear. In fact, cleaning up after pets is much easier with an artificial lawn and you won’t find yourself pulling up great handfuls of grass in an attempt to keep things tidy.
Lastly, without the need for fertilizers and pesticides, you won’t need to worry about the environmental pollutants, grass allergies, or even bug bites that are all part and parcel of a natural lawn. Synthetic grass doesn’t attract insects the way natural grass does, so pesticides are unnecessary. And while pesticides and fertilizers may make natural grass look great, they can be inadvertently ingested while spending time in the yard, which can cause long-term health problems. The chemicals can also become a part of a natural yard’s runoff—leaking into the groundwater. A synthetic lawn can be a safer lawn.
4. Cost Savings
Think about all of the equipment you use to maintain your lawn—there are the lawnmowers, weed whackers, sprinkler systems, fertilizers, pesticides, and grass seed (for those occasional bald spots). Or perhaps you hire a lawn care company, and whether they come once a week or once a month, those services can really add to the cost of maintaining your home.
A synthetic yard is created and installed for the long haul. It’s designed to withstand wear and tear, UV rays, digging, playing, running, and difficult weather. Over time, saving on water, lawn care services, equipment, and chemical grass care can really add up. That’s without even considering valuable time savings. Depending on how long you own your house, eliminating or reducing these costs may pay for your lawn installation many times over.
5. Looks Great Year-Round!
Home is where the heart is, and that’s why some people care deeply about keeping their home beautiful, safe, and comfortable. Imagine coming home to a perfectly lush, green lawn every day, no matter the season or the weather. If gardening is your passion, imagine being able to spend more leisure time in your garden, tending your flowers and plants, without worrying about leaving a muddy bald patch beneath you.
A synthetic lawn gives you the chance to use your whole home, inside and out, for more of the year. From a practical standpoint, it can vastly increase your curb appeal as well. So, whether you’re building a dream home that you intend to pass down to your children or you’re hoping to get the most value from the sale of your home in the future, an artificial lawn will help you achieve year-round use and beauty.
There’s a lot to be said for an artificial lawn, and Sportech Construction and Excavation is here to answer all of your questions. Contact us and see if synthetic grass may be the right choice for your Salem, Oregon, home.