Why Is Decompacting Artificial Turf Sports Fields Important?
There are thousands of sports fields across the country, from San Diego, CA to Garland, TX, and an ever-increasing number are switching to artificial grass for its durability and practicality. However, although artificial turf is incredibly low-maintenance, some synthetic grass maintenance is still required to preserve the lifespan of your investment.
This is especially true for athletic facilities, where the turf is used daily in intense conditions and receives a large amount of wear. For this reason, decompacting infill is a crucial step in your artificial grass maintenance routine, or you run the risk of reducing your sports field’s lifespan.
Turf Maintenance Prolongs Your Turf’s Lifespan
Compacted infill is a common problem in synthetic turf landscape applications that receive heavy use and minimal maintenance. It’s primarily caused by water, dirt, and debris passing through your turf and building up. When infill begins to deteriorate and compact, your drainage will be negatively affected your turf won’t perform optimally over time. When left compacted for too long, your turf maintenance can instead turn to extensive and costly repairs.
The best way to prevent repairs or replacement is through preventative turf maintenance. You can prevent your artificial turf infill from compacting by brushing it frequently to remove any surface debris. Items like dust, dirt and small debris can be easily removed this way, preventing them from settling into your turf backing. This cross-brushing will also help revive your turf blades and counteract matting, helping your sports field look its best year-round.
Game Litter Can Cause Drainage Issues
One common cause of compacting, especially prevalent in athletic facilities, is litter. After practice or a game, litter and large debris can contribute to compacted infill by weighing the turf down. After each game or practice, remove any litter you can see on the field. While it may not seem like an issue that can impact your turf’s inner workings, organic compounds can decompose and lodge deep in the yarn of your turf, leading to compacted infill and drainage issues.
Plastic bottles especially can cause significant damage if not promptly picked up. Not only can the refracted sunlight cause compaction, but your turf can even become scorched or melted under extreme heat. If you want to preserve the lifespan of your artificial turf landscaping, prompt and thorough artificial grass maintenance is the best course of action.
Failed Synthetic Turf Maintenance Can Void Your Warranty
Even the most well-maintained artificial turf can sometimes have defects and unusual wear. If you want to cash in on a valid warranty, however, you need to be performing regular maintenance.
Failure to perform adequate and routine turf maintenance can void some manufacturer’s warranties, leaving you high and dry with ruined turf to replace. If you want to ensure that your warranty will cover any unusual defects, make sure you keep up your side of the agreement with routine synthetic grass maintenance services.
If you need the proper equipment for your synthetic grass maintenance needs, including infill, visit the TurFresh online store for a wide range of turf maintenance products specially created for artificial grass.
If you don’t want to worry about routine artificial grass maintenance, or if you don’t have the time to do it yourself after every game, consider professional artificial turf maintenance services. TurFresh’s 10-point cleaning process can be scheduled as often as you need us, whether that’s once a week or twice a year. If you’d like to learn more about TurFresh’s artificial turf maintenance service or book your first appointment, give us a call at (916) 269-5545 or fill out our online contact form today.