Top 3 tips to prevent artificial grass from melting
Installing artificial grass is an excellent option to transform any space, either you want it indoors or outdoors. As we at Diamond Artificial Grass have a decade of experience in the area, we know many tips and tricks that can be very useful, and we want to share them with you. Therefore, before starting your project it is necessary that you take into account some tips and advice so that it remains in excellent condition for a long time, even years.
In this post, you will learn how to prevent your synthetic grass from being damaged by sun reflection or reflecting melting. For that, it is important that you take into account certain details of the area that you want to cover with fake grass:
- Do you have a window or door with a Low-E glass window? Which is used to reduce energy and bounce the sun's rays out of the house or building
- Are there any white vinyl or aluminum fences surrounding the area you want to cover with synthetic grass?
If your answer is Yes to any of these questions, we will explain the effect of sun reflection or reflecting melting on artificial grass and how to avoid it.
Reflection of the sun on the grass: why does this happen?
Sun reflection occurs when rays fall on a very shiny surface such as Low-e glass window, polished metal, white plastic, a mirror, and so on. Then, that surface concentrates the sun's rays, thus enhancing its heat, and bounces them in the opposite direction until they reach another surface, in this case directly to the artificial grass. The effect is the same as when we put a magnifying glass under the sun and make the rays fall on a sheet of paper. After a while, we will see how the sheet of paper will start to burn at the point where the light beam hits.
The reflection of the sun caused by windows or doors: the excess heat produced by the solar rays that hit these special windows or doors to reduce energy consumption (Low-e glass window) bounce it out. In this way, the interior space where the air conditioning is located is kept cold with less energy consumption. But, that excess heat that is generated when the sun shines on the glass and is reflected directly on the grass can melt it if the temperature reaches 175-200 ℉. This type of glass is designed to allow light to pass through and keep out ultraviolet and infrared rays, as they have a microscopically thin layer of metal oxide built into the internal components of the glass surface to control heat transfer. Traditional glasses do not cause damage to synthetic grass because the sun's rays penetrate them and don’t bounce back to the outside.
The reflection of the sun caused by fences: the incidence of solar rays on the fences, that are made of white plastic or aluminum makes them work as if they were a mirror since the rays bounce from the sun to the ground. This reflection from the sun (reflective melting) can cause a huge increase in temperature, and if it reaches 175-200 ℉ it can melt both synthetic grass and toys or plastic materials, bumpers, and all similar equipment. Similarly, any other polished metal object or structure that is near the grass can cause melting on the grass. For example, a barbecue, an aluminum trash can, storage shed, external mirrors, can cause the mentioned problem.
How to prevent artificial grass from melting?
If some of the previous examples relate to you, it does not mean that you should not put artificial grass in the desired space. That will not be an impediment because we have several possible solutions for you.
Tip #1
If the melting problem is caused by the existence of vinyl fences around the area where you want to install artificial grass, the solution is to make sure you leave a few garden feet parallel to the vinyl structure so that the reflection of the sun shines on the ground, decorative stones or mulch, and not directly on the lawn. This is the easiest and cheapest solution.
Tip #2
If you have windows or doors with low-emissivity glass, it is advisable to install synthetic nylon grass in the entire nearby area. This type of artificial grass has a higher melting point compared to polyethylene grass, which can be melted with less heat. Therefore, the use of nylon grass guarantees that it will not melt despite the heat it receives from the high temperatures of solar reflection. You can order it at Diamond Artificial Grass and we’ll work on a special order just for you.
However, it is important to note that the problem is not with synthetic grass or installation, but with vinyl or aluminum barriers, windows or doors with low energy consumption glass.
Tip #3
If you do not want to install nylon grass because it is more expensive than polyethylene or polypropylene, what we recommend is to put an anti-reflective film on the windows or doors to reduce the external reflection on the artificial grass. This type of film sticks to glass and is not noticeable. Another alternative is to place screens with shade screens, meshes such as those used as mosquito nets, reflective paint or awnings.
Extra tip
To learn more tips and tricks about artificial grass, and learn how to identify problems and apply an appropriate solution, we invite you to enroll in our classes at our Diamond University.
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