March 09, 2018

Have you ever been to a sporting event and marveled at how beautiful and well-groomed the field looked? Chances are, that lush, green field was not natural grass, but artificial turf. Many stadiums and sporting arenas are switching from natural grass to artificial turf, making the games are more exciting for spectators and players!

Football

When you think of sports played on artificial turf, your mind may immediately jump to football. Several NFL stadiums are now equipped with artificial turf surfaces, and many college and high school teams have also made the switch. Artificial turf fields require less maintenance, and boast increased playability. Turf fields are more durable than natural grass, and they can be played on any time and season; this allows the action to continue year-round.

Nothing can ruin the excitement of a game quicker than an injury to a player. Luckily, artificial turf may lead to decreased injuries. The playing surface is even, and players are less likely to trip or twist an ankle on uneven ground. Artificial turf fields ensure all of the thrills of a football game played on natural grass- in a safer manner.

Soccer

Many soccer fields are also switching to artificial turf. Like football, soccer fields with artificial turf have increased playability due to even surfaces.  Artificial turf soccer fields’ smooth surface allow the soccer ball to roll with more quickly and with ease, making the game run smoothly and more exciting to watch!

Artificial turf also provides a surface for indoor soccer, allowing players to compete and practice all year long- even when temperatures are freezing outside. Indoor soccer is a fast-paced, alternative way for players to enjoy their sport. While having a few different rules, indoor soccer is a exhilarating, lively game that allows players to work on their skills year-round; its quick pace is also exciting for spectators.

Baseball and Softball

Artificial turf is also an ideal playing surface for baseball or softball fields and is widely used. Artificial turf allows each field to be virtually identical, allowing teams to worry less about “home field advantage” during away game, allowing for an even more rousing game. Artificial turf fields also allow for a similar ball bounce and roll from field to field. This means players and spectators can worry less about uneven fields and focus on their team winning the game!

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Artificial turf can be installed in the infield and outfield. Artificial turf surfaces decrease friction and allows players more secure footing. This means they are able stop and turn more easily and quickly. In addition, maintaining a baseball field takes up significant time, and artificial turf allows teams less maintenance and more play and practice time!

Artificial turf fields allow the sports we love to watch be even more exciting! While reducing maintenance and player injury, the installation of a synthetic turf playing field creates even more opportunities for players and fans to enjoy the sports they love. To find out more about installing synthetic turf sporting fields, contact Shawgrass today to learn more about our products and get a free estimate.

March 09, 2018

Synthetic fields are common to many sports such as soccer, football and baseball. In particular, turf football fields can be found in many national sports leagues such as the NFL, FIFA and the MLB. Turf fields boast increased playability, so many stadiums choose to install them to maximize playing time and use. Turf fields for sports can also help manage your field maintenance budget and allow more durability for the sports we love to play and watch.

1. Maintenance Costs

The upkeep of natural grass fields is a process that requires many steps. One must regularly mow, water, fertilize and aerate their fields. In comparison, artificial turf fields only require the cleaning of debris, brushing, and occasionally topping infill levels. Switching from natural grass to artificial turf guarantees fewer maintenance steps, as well as no longer requiring a lawn service, the purchase of fertilizer, and the annoyance of mowing. Natural lawns must deal with the environment and the elements. Severe hot or cold weather and storms may completely ruin a field requiring more intensive repair and upkeep. Artificial turf is durable, resilient in bad weather and can assure that inclement weather will not ruin your sporting field.

2. Decreased water use

Natural lawn fields require an excess of one thing in particular: water. While rain helps keep natural grass intact, the weather cannot be predicted and natural grass requires much manual watering. One must carefully analyze the amount of water needed as overwatering or underwatering can be detrimental to natural grass’ health. Particularly in a dry season, one's cost of watering a natural lawn field can be outrageously high. Artificial turf, however, requires significantly less water usage, meaning for significantly lower water bills. Replacing natural grass with artificial turf saves 2,200 gallons of water per square meter annually. Added up, synthetic turf saves about 4 to 8 billion gallons of water each year.  Consequently, your water bill will decrease, and you will never have to stress over the weather or rain again.

3. Long-term payoff

One of the largest benefits of an artificial turf field is its durability and playability in the long run. Artificial turf can be played on for around 3,000 hours per year whereas natural grass merely allows about 600-800 hours of playtime. Natural grass requires rest time to upkeep maintenance and generally requires a lawn service to deal with upkeep. Artificial turf is said to be three times less expensive than natural grass over a 20 year period when looking at upkeep and watering. The switch to artificial turf will cut your maintenance costs both today and for years and years to come.

When looking at artificial turf for sports fields, one can see that its benefits are great. With decreased maintenance costs, less water usage and increased playability, investing in an artificial turf field truly has a great payoff. To find out more about installing synthetic turf sporting fields, contact Shawgrass today to learn more about our products and get a free estimate.

March 01, 2018

How often do you monitor your water consumption? You may only think about conserving water during drought periods. Water is essential to preserving and maintaining plant and animal life, but many of us may not consider our water usage until it is time for the water bill to be paid. Water conservation is important in our day-to-day lives, and is simple to incorporate without changing your lifestyle. Here are three simple options to make household water conservation part of your daily life.

Turning off the faucet

You have probably heard before that turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth is an easy way to save water. It’s true! Just this small change could save up to 200 gallons of water a month. Aside from brushing your teeth, being conscious of your daily water usage- and how long the faucet has been on- can conserve thousands of gallons of water. For example, while washing your hands or washing the dishes, turning off the faucet while cleaning and scrubbing helps to stop unused water from going down the drain. Simply being aware of how long you've had the faucet running can help you dramatically decrease your water consumption and help you do your part to conserve water.

Wash smarter

Doing your laundry uses significant amounts of water. However, there are ways to conserve water while keeping your clothes clean. Some may purchase more efficient washing machines to promote water conservation, but there are simple steps you can take without trading in your washing machine. Using towels more than once and waiting to wash until you have a full load to run your washing machine can also reduce and conserve water in your home easily and effectively.

Switching from a natural lawn to artificial turf

Have you ever wondered how much water we use while watering the lawn? A natural lawn, on average, requires as much as 22,000 gallons of water per year. In fact, the lawn is one of the most water intensive parts of the household. 85 percent of grass' bulk is water- which means that it requires a lot of water to upkeep your beautiful, green lawn. If you ever feel like you're constantly running your sprinklers- this is why.

An easy, practical solution is to switch from your natural lawn and install synthetic turf outside of your home. Artificial turf is a practical and cost-effective way to lower your water bill and to conserve water. Synthetic turf is drought-proof, and ensures that you'll never waste gallons and gallons of water that you do watering a natural lawn each year. Even better, your lawn will always be lush and green, so you can say goodbye to closely monitoring your sprinkler system.

To find out more about installing synthetic turf to decrease your household water consumption, contact Shawgrass today to learn more about our products and get a free estimate.

March 09, 2018

A perfectly polished lawn will make you the envy of your neighborhood. However, there's a catch- you may spend hundreds of dollars each month to upkeep and maintain your “perfect” lawn. Whether you hire a lawn service or take a DIY approach, lawn maintenance is both time consuming and pricey. Synthetic turf offers an alternative, cost-effective solution to standard lawn maintenance. You will not believe how much money you might save!

The Real Costs

Lawn maintenance requires much more than simply mowing the lawn. Actually, several extensive steps are involved in the process.  Having a perfect lawn requires weeding, aeration, fertilization, seeding, and watering. Each of these steps are costly, and before you know it, they easily add up. On average, basic lawn care services (mowing, trimming, etc.) range from $30 - $80 per visit. This, however, often does not include the cost of more thorough work such as weeding- which may range $50-$100 per visit. Unfortunately, these services have to be repeated to maintain a healthy lawn; the average lawn needs to be weeded 6 to 9 times each year.

In the long run, the expense of repeated lawn care services truly pile up. Even if you choose to upkeep your own lawn, you still have to purchase the tools and materials necessary for maintenance regularly. The upkeep for a "perfect" lawn is an ongoing routine and a frustrating chore. Regardless of cost, DIY lawn maintenance takes up your precious free time and energy. Instead of enjoying our lawns, we spend countless hours and hard-earned cash just to keep them looking presentable.

Cut costs, save time!

If you, like many others, are sick of budgeting thousands each year toward lawn maintenance, there is an easy, reasonable solution for you. Switching from ordinary grass to artificial turf will allow you to spend your hard-earned money elsewhere and control your landscaping budget! Those who installed synthetic turf paid 25 percent less, on average, for maintenance compared to those who did not. Additionally, homeowners who swapped to synthetic turf also boast decreased water bills. Maintaining a lawn makes up a large portion of a household's water consumption, and studies show that thousands of gallons of water are conserved each year when switching to synthetic turf.

Let's face it: when budgeting, no one really wants to put aside thousands year after year to upkeep their lawn. Switching to synthetic turf is a simple and effective way to control your landscaping budget. Many who have installed synthetic turf have considered it an investment with great payoff, according to customer testimonials. After installation, upkeep of synthetic turf is straightforward and economical. Say goodbye to the weeding, seeding, and lawn upkeep forever and switch to artificial turf! Your neighbors will envy both your lawn and all the money you're saving!