With hard surface draining it really comes down to the existing drainage apparatus in place. In most cases, your concrete or brick was put in place with a drainage plan in mind.
It will be sloped to direct water to another part of the lawn or into a drainage pipe. If you’re already experiencing drainage problems on your patio, you’ll need to have them corrected before having artificial turf installed.
The backing material on your grass will also act as a turf drainage system. It will allow water to flow across it to drainage pipes or to drain down into holes drilled through the hard surface.
For either drainage system to work effectively they must beproperly installedby professionals. Artificial grass installation is one home renovation you shouldn’t DIY.
When a professional is surveying your existing lawn, they’ll take into account specific things. These include slope, soil content, and rainfall conditions. This will help them decide how to proceed.
They will begin by excavating a layer of your existing lawn. Then they’ll grade it to the proper specifications. They’ll then add in a high-quality base material such as gravel and sand to allow water to fully drain down to the water table.
For installations over brick, concrete, or other hard surfaces a slope analysis will need to be performed. Your installer will look at the existing lay of the land and figure out if there are already drainage problems. Usually, they will apply a self-leveling compound to smooth over any imperfections in the material.
If your patio doesn’t already have a drainage system in place your installer will need to modify it. They’ll drill several small holes through it to prevent artificial turf drainage problems.
Installing an artificial turf system is one of the best decisions a homeowner can make. Not only does imitation grass require far less maintenance, but it also helps save the environment by reducing your water usage. Many people have heard horror stories about pooling water and poor drainage. Modern artificial grass manufacturers have completely fixed these issues. Keep reading to learn about the built-in turf drainage systems available in today’s imitation grass.
Natural Draining, Imitation Grass
If your artificial grass is placed right on earth, as is common in most systems, you won’t see any drainage problems. Modern synthetic lawns are designed to drain just as efficiently as natural grass.
All artificial grass products have a backing material under the grass blades. It can be made of several different materials but in all cases is designed for efficient drainage.
There are small holes at regular intervals across the material that allows water to flow right through it. Once it reaches the soil underneath it goes directly into the natural water table.
If your dog usually poops on your natural lawn, then you’re probably going to want him/her to continue doing the same on your new fake grass.
Your pooch may require a brief time to get used to the new environment. But after this, everything should be the same as before.
Your canine friend’s waste won’t damage the fake lawn either. You can remove the waste and clean it easily.
The permeable backing also allows fluids, such as your dog’s pee to drain.
You can also purchase dog-friendly features to your artificial lawn, such as pet potties. However, this is not essential since the fake grass drains anyway.
Easy to Clean
After your pet has done his/her business on your fake lawn, you can scoop it up and hose the grass.
It’s also recommended to wipe down with soap afterward if you’re concerned about the odor.
Even though artificial grass that has been made and inspected in the U.S. is absolutely safe for your pets, it’s important to avoid older artificial grass lawns that may be treated with lead. If consumed by your pet, this could be toxic.
However, if you choose artificial grass which is lead safe and manufactured in the U.S., you can be confident that your dog is safe.
A Lawn With Greater Resilience
If you’re about to invest in a new artificial lawn, then you’re going to want to know if your dog is going to tear it to shreds.
Well, you can rest easy here. Fake grass is much tougher than traditional grass.
If you’re tired of your dog burrowing in the yard, then you don’t need to be concerned with fake grass. And yet, your dogs and other pets will enjoy playing on the fake lawn. It’s comfortable and durable so you have the best of both worlds.
The artificial grass market is growing at a rate of 6.8 percent per year. It’s not hard to see why. It’s less effort to maintain, doesn’t need water, and stays healthy all year round. However, if you’re considering the switch to fake grass, you may have a few concerns regarding whether fake grass for dogs is safe?
Keep reading to learn more!
Fake Grass For Dogs: Is It Safe
Fake Grass for Dogs is Safe
Fake grass is definitely safe for dogs and any other pets.
Even if your dog cannot help but chew or lick the newly installed fake lawn, no harm will come to your pet. The artificial grass is not toxic. Besides, many natural grass lawns are treated with chemicals.
You don’t have to worry about your dog getting sick because of the artificial lawn. But, that’s not all pet owners may be concerned about in relation to artificial turf and dogs.
No one is saying that artificial turf doesn’t come with some exposure to chemicals of potential concern (COPC) – just as a treated natural lawn does. However, scientists say that exposure to these chemicals is low enough to that it doesn’t reach the threshold of concern.
The cause for concern in artificial turf is the backing made of tires. Although the scientific community still discusses the issue regularly, no evidence points to the grass as a health hazard.
Is it safe for your family? Installing it outdoors is safe, and as long as your children don’t eat the infill for their daily afternoon snack, your family likely sees no risk.
Do you have more questions about adding artificial grass? We would love to help.
The evidence for issues like cancer is anecdotal. The list of kids diagnosed with cancer comes from personal experience – not a scientific data set. At present, no research links artificial grass and cancer.
At the same time, the lack of testing the safety of artificial grass – and chemicals used to manufacture it – sometimes allows individuals to draw their own conclusions. An extensive investigation by NBC News couldn’t find any consensus on the matter.
The Synthetic Turf Council say they have 14 studies available that do not link adverse health effects to artificial turf. In other words, they argue that it is safe for kids.
ome worry about the safety of synthetic turf because manufacturers expose tires to chemicals during the manufacturing process. The danger comes when kids slide around on the turf and cover themselves in fragments of the infill.
The issue came to the fore in 2014 when an investigation found that goalkeepers on American soccer teams experienced strange rates of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other cancers. A list of players with cancer included 38 total players with 34 of them playing as goalies.
However, many of those players came from Washington state, and there was no discussion of whether another environmental factor might be to blame for the incidence of cancer.