Your front yards one of the first things guests notice as they pull into your driveway. While for most people natural lawn is the primary choice, artificial grass offers the most sensible alternative to a lawn sodded with the real thing. If you're trying to determine whether you should install real sod or synthetic grass in your front yard, different general factors to consider can help you make an educated choice.
The price for real turf and artificial grass depends on n the type of materials you are considering, and regional costs for real grass vary from state to state. Seeding 1,00 sq.ft. of grass can cost you between $10 to $20; the live sod costs approximately $500 to cover the same area. Synthetic turf costs start from $1 to $8 per sq.ft. and run from $5 to $15 per sq.ft. including the installation.
The real grass is generally softer to a touch than artificial, and more comfortable against bare skin. But as latest technology goes, today's artificial grass resembles the appearance and feel of the natural lawn. Some types of synthetic grass are softer than others, but, in general, the modern fake grass feels and looks as good as natural, and has advantages that make this alternative more desirable for home and business owners.
Maintaining the natural lawn is a costly business. Mowing and edging, landscaping tools initial costs and repairs, gas, electric, batteries, or landscaping services, can add up to $100 each month for an average American household. Weekly or bi-weekly irrigation makes 2/3 of the monthly water bill. Artificial grass doesn't require any of the above. You don't need to mow, trim, edge, water, or fertilize synthetic turf. It keeps the lawn green and lush every day without any efforts.
Natural, real grass is the best for the environment when the grass grows naturally. In many climates, to keep lawn green the use of fertilizers and chemicals is required. Water contamination, allergies, health issues result. The effect of chemical fertilizers are not widely spoken about, but they contaminate our underground water. Water-soluble nitrogen fertilizers, for example, break down into nitrates and travel easily through the soil and remain in groundwater for decades. Pesticides alter our immune, endocrine and nervous systems. Ground water contamination is linked to gastric cancer, birth malformation, hypertension, stomach and testicular cancer.
Artificial grass can not release oxygen, and absorbs carbon dioxide as the real grass, but its environmental benefits include water conservation and toxics reduction (no pesticides, no fertilizers.) For those with allergies and chemical sensitivities, health benefits of artificial grass are enormous.
Considering all facts above, the question why people who live in Riverside County, California prefer artificial grass over real grass is easy to answer. Households in Rubidoux, California with children and pets, care about safety and health. With synthetic turf, they can protect their small ones from the danger associated with the use of chemicals. Cutting the costs of water also makes the artificial grass an attractive alternative to the traditional lawn. Zero maintenance adds an edge to the overall idea of artificial grass installation.