How To Keep Your Artificial Turf Cool?
It’s true that synthetic turf gives your yard the beauty and curb appeal of natural grass but with only a fraction of the maintenance, upkeep, and mess. However, when the sun’s rays beat down relentlessly during the hot summer months, the surface temperature of your synthetic lawn increases. So, how can you keep artificial grass cool in hot climates and during the summer? Keep reading for five tips that can help you keep your artificial turf cool and comfortable, even on those scorching hot days.
Does Artificial Grass Get Hot in the Summer Months?
Compared to natural lawns, synthetic lawns retain more heat from the sun. As artificial grass consists of plastic, heat from the sun raises the lawn temperature higher than a natural grass lawn. After synthetic turf has been in direct sunlight for a few hours, many people agree that it has similar surface temperatures to walking on blacktop pavement in bare feet.
It may get hot in the sun, but can artificial grass melt? Again, it depends. Each type of fake grass has a different composition, properties, and durability. However, most plastic has a melting point of 175° F. In warmer climates or during the summer, window glare can cause artificial lawns to melt if the sun gets hot enough. You can fix this problem by installing an anti-reflective window film to prevent your fake grass from melting in the sunlight.
Use These 5 Tips To Keep Artificial Grass Cool in Hot Weather
1. Choose Artificial Grass That Doesn’t Get Hot
One way to ensure you don’t have to deal with burning-hot artificial grass all summer long is by investing in a premium-quality product with heat protection. Choose light-colored artificial grass with heat management properties. In addition, synthetic grass with a lighter face weight can reduce heat retention, making your yard cooler.
Don’t install artificial turf with dark colors or wide and flat grass blades. Instead, look for grass that uses hollow blade technology to keep your lawn’s temperature stable during those hot summer days and year-round.
2. Cool Down Synthetic Turf With Your Hose or Sprinkler System
Here’s a simple hack to make sure your artificial grass stays cool during the hottest days of the summer: Spray it down with your garden hose. Alternatively, set up a sprinkler system and have it run around noontime.
As an extra benefit, hosing down your grass removes built-up dirt and dust, making it cleaner, brighter, and more vibrant. You can probably fool your neighbors into thinking you have natural grass instead of artificial turf!
3. Use Natural Plants and Trees To Create Shade
Planting tall trees, shrubs, and plants on the perimeter of your yard will also help your fake grass remain cooler during the day. The taller the plants, the more of a shaded area you can create, preventing your synthetic turf from heating up under direct sunlight.
In addition to shading the surrounding area by blocking the sunlight, the transpiration process and photosynthesis of trees and plants create a cooling effect. Alternatively, use awnings or shade cloths to create cooler areas and prevent your synthetic grass from becoming too hot.
4. Add Cooling Grass Infill to Your Lawn
Every synthetic turf lawn needs an artificial grass infill, which looks like small beads. After installation, you spread the infill between the synthetic grass blades. Infill helps your artificial grass lawn stay upright after being walked on, prevents bumps or wrinkles from forming, and ensures proper drainage.
You need to use the proper infill to keep your artificial lawn as cool as possible on hot days. Avoid rubber infill, which retains more heat. Instead, opt for silica turf infill. However, if you want to prevent your artificial grass from overheating, upgrade to a specialized cooling infill, like HydroChill or T°Cool. However, both of those cooling infills require you to wet down your lawn with the hose or sprinkler to activate their cooling properties; otherwise, they won’t be effective.
5. Invest in Artificial Grass Cooling Technology
Advanced cooling systems for artificial turf are another way to keep your lawn cool even during the hottest summer days. These systems use cooling liquid that circulates among your synthetic turf, preventing it from overheating in the sun. However, the major drawback to these systems is that you must install them before you lay down the turf. They’re also expensive — but they work.
Contact Artificial Grass Pros Today
With the five tips we just discussed, you can keep your artificial lawn cool and comfortable, even on those scorching summer days when there’s not a single cloud in the sky. You can spray it with the hose, add a cooling infill, plant natural trees around the perimeter, and choose high-quality, light-colored synthetic turf with hollow blades. For more information about how to keep artificial grass cool, reach out to the industry experts at Artificial Grass Pros. We offer many synthetic turf services, including lawns, pet turf, pool turf, playgrounds, and more.
Call Artificial Grass Pros today to book a free estimate with our team.