If you or someone you know has ever considered artificial turf, chances are you’ve pondered some or all of these misconceptions about the stuff. “Oh sure,” you may think, “an artificial grass company is going to debunk myths about artificial grass! They just want to sell it.”
See that’s the great thing about Purchase Green – we don’t sell our grass. Our grass sells itself! The primary goal for our staff is to help each customer identify his or her needs and help educate each customer so he or she winds up with the right product at the right price. In that spirit, let’s take a look at seven of the most common misconceptions about artificial turf.
It’s Too Expensive
We get a lot of customers considering artificial grass because a neighbor had it done. Sometimes, though, such customers will tell us Bob down the street had a synthetic lawn installed and they’d heard it cost him a fortune. We know customers just want facts about what things cost. That’s why we’re one of the only artificial grass companies that lists the price of everything we sell on our website. We don’t give you the run around by forcing you to request a quote before finding out what our products cost.
We know that every customer is unique, each with a specific budget and particular goals. Because we have such a massive variety, we’re confident we can help you find a grass that you can afford and one that meets your needs. Additionally, depending on where you live, innovative financing programs like HERO and mPower may be available.
Of course, a big factor in what the ultimate cost will be is whether you choose to have your grass professionally installed or you do it yourself. There are benefits to having the job done professionally, but we’re happy to help you determine which approach is the best fit for you. Which leads us to the next misconception…
I Can’t Do It Myself
Yes, you can! A great many Purchase Green customers have completed DIY projects that look absolutely fantastic. Now, is installing artificial grass an easy project? No, it requires a good deal of labor, which is why a lot of customers opt for a professional installation. While not easy, installing a synthetic lawn is straightforward and well within the capabilities of many people. If you’re unsure, we have a ton of resources available – such as our free Do-It-Yourself Guide – to help you.
So if you’re willing to spend a few weekends getting your hands dirty, doing it yourself is absolutely possible. Plus, you get to tell your astounded neighbors that, “Yep, I did it myself!”
It Looks Fake
One of the best parts of working for Purchase Green is introducing people to artificial grass for the first time. Many – maybe even most – people don’t really have first-hand experience with synthetic turf. Every single Purchase Green employee gets a thrill when a new customer is able to see and feel how amazing our grasses really are.
That’s why we love it when people visit our stores. And while we are incredibly proud of our website and we’re constantly working to enhance the online experience, the reason we keep opening new Purchase Green locations is because there’s nothing like interacting with our grasses in person. We want you to see and feel our grasses for yourself. Once you do, we know you’ll agree that our fake grass is almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
It Gets Too Hot
Sometimes customers express concern about how hot the grass may get. Like most manufactured materials, artificial grass does indeed get warmer when exposed to direct sunlight. From a consumer point of view, a more appropriate question is whether artificial grass gets so hot that it negatively impacts his or her ability to use it as desired.
In most instances when the artificial grass is uncomfortably hot it is, typically, uncomfortably hot outside and as a result you are not planning on rolling around in the yard anyway. The analogy that resonates best with most people, in terms of how hot artificial grass gets, is beach sand. But if temperature is a concern for you, guess what, we have a free eBook on that too! You can download it and get an in-depth analysis of what drives temperature increases (besides the Sun, obviously) and what you can do to beat the heat.
It’s Not Recyclable
You may have encountered people who claim artificial grass cannot be recycled. This is, put simply, untrue. Like many products, it used to be that artificial grass wasn’t recycled. The fact that it could be was beside the point. In the past, most things, including artificial grass, were taken to the landfill.
Sustainability and conservation are important. Every part of Purchase Green artificial grass can be recycled. Presently, however, there is no widespread solution for the task of separating artificial grass into its components for recycling. But that is changing. You can learn more about recycling synthetic grass on our blog.
It Requires Crumb Rubber
You may have heard of crumb rubber – those tiny bits of rubber that are scattered across artificial grass to serve as both infill and a shock absorber. If you or your children have ever played soccer on a synthetic turf field, you’re probably familiar with finding your cleats filled with those darn little pellets!
At Purchase Green, we don’t sell nor do we recommend crumb rubber for residential landscaping. For one thing, as an infill it actually makes grass hotter. The reality is that there are better, more advanced infill systems than crumb rubber. At Purchase Green we only carry the best products and crumb rubber is not the best product. Instead, we offer products such as MellowFill. MellowFill infill inhibits growth of mildew and algae and controls odors. It works very well for residential lawns because it does everything crumb rubber does to ensure the durability and quality of artificial grass while being a much more natural and less costly alternative.
My HOA Won’t Allow It
As recently as last year this could have been true for California customers who are members of a Homeowners Association. However, on September 4, 2015, Assembly Bill 349 was signed into law. This bill bars HOAs from forbidding synthetic turf. Homeowners associations can still make landscaping rules – just not in a way that would ban artificial lawns. The same is true in Nevada. For residents of Arizona, however, HOAs do still maintain the power to forbid homeowners from installing artificial grass.
Also of note in California, AB 1164 became law last year. The law bans cities and counties from prohibiting drought-tolerant landscaping, including artificial turf. Be aware, however, that while all these laws protect your right to install a synthetic grass lawn, you may still be required to meet certain standards set forth by your city, county or HOA.
