Even though our landscaping synthetic lawns are manufactured in Australia, there is still some risk of reflective and magnified light and/or heat damage under certain circumstances.
It’s surprising just how extreme reflective heat/light can be in the middle of a scorching Perth summer day if the sun is at a certain angle. Australian Made synthetic grass has been developed to cope with extreme levels of UV radiation and is designed to withstand surface temperatures of approximately 65-70 degrees Celsius. However, PE starts softening and melting at 85-90 degrees Celsius and concentrated sunlight can push temperatures up to 100+ degrees Celsius.
The most common causes of this type of damage are the following:
- Sunlight being magnified through or reflected from, glass fencing, balustrades or even Perspex basketball backboards; and
- Reflection of sunlight or heat from colour bond fencing;
Glass swimming pool fencing has become very popular and looks fantastic. Unfortunately, under certain circumstances, it can very easily cause damage to your artificial grass. In many instances there will be no damage, but this is completely dependent on the angle of the sun through your fencing at certain times of the year and even at certain times of the day. Prior to installation it can be difficult, if not impossible, to anticipate whether this will be a problem or not.
Though this type of damage is rare, it’s wise to take a small amount of preventative action. Around swimming pool glass fencing, an extension of the paving or a decorative section of pebbles can be used to help mitigate this risk. Another very attractive option is to plant a hedging plant around the fence. One of the hardiest & quick growing is Viburnum Tinus. Talk to your local garden centre about other suitable options.
In other garden areas, the simplest and most attractive way to avoid this problem is to have plenty of greenery in your garden. A garden bed 60-100cm wide around these “hotspots” provides shelter to the fence, either initially stopping the sun from reaching the fence or shading your synthetic lawn from the magnified sun. These garden beds will also provide shade to your artificial grass. Trees are also an environmentally friendly solution. By planting deciduous trees in your garden you’ll have shade in summer when it’s most needed and gentle winter sunlight in the cooler months.
Not only will you be protecting your synthetic grass, you’ll also be creating a cooler backyard and a people, pet and bird friendly environment. A shadier backyard will also reduce the temperature around your house, making your home a cool oasis in the middle of summer.
For more information or to arrange an obligation free measure & quote, phone Green Planet Grass now on 0459 490 983.
At Green Planet Grass our Australian Made synthetic lawns don’t look like fake grass.
