Q. What are the costs of an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation? Q. How does the installed cost of AlwaysGREEN Turf compare to a sod or seeded lawn installation? Q. Can I be provided a “Sample” of AlwaysGREEN Turf? Q. Can AlwaysGREEN Turf be purchased by the property owner as an “INSTALL IT YOURSELF” product? Q. Can I have AlwaysGREEN Turf everywhere that I have grass? Q. What if I want to plant trees and shrubs or construct other landscape improvements after the installation? Q. How long does it take to install AlwaysGREEN Turf ? Q. How long will AlwaysGREEN Turf last? Q. Can I put swing sets and other child play equipment on AlwaysGREEN Turf ? Q. What about a child’s safety of play? Q. How are dogs and cats likely to react to AlwaysGREEN Turf ? Q. How do I maintain AlwaysGREEN Turf after it is installed? Q. Will weeds grow? Q. What about insects? Q. What do I do about removing leaves and other dropped foliage? Q. Are there any competitors of AlwaysGREEN Turf ? Q. Why doesn’t an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation, like most of it’s synthetic grass competition, require an underlying stone base and drainage system? Q. What happens when it rains? Q. Are there any sub-surface drainage requirements for AlwaysGREEN Turf? Q. How does AlwaysGREEN Turf drain water in comparison to grass and earth? Q. Are there any local permits or approvals required prior to installation? Q. What do I do when underground utilities need to be accessed by myself or municipal and utility company authorities? Q. What effect will the installation have on the value of my property? Q. Does AlwaysGREEN Turf possess any Federal, State or other Jurisdictional “approvals” or “designations” relating to it’s installation or use? Q. Can AlwaysGREEN Turf fade in color over time? Q. What do I do if AlwaysGREEN Turf is vandalized? Q . Do I need to contact my insurance company regarding my installation? Q. How does AlwaysGREEN Turf feel to bare feet? Q. Can the sand & rubber infills be tracked and transported by shoes or clothing? Q. Can the sand & rubber infills be blown around by the wind? Q. Will AlwaysGREEN Turf freeze, or the surface become especially icy under cold temperatures? Q. Under winter snow cover, does AlwaysGREEN Turf appear particularly unnatural or especially artificial? Q. Can AlwaysGREEN Turf be installed over asphalt or concrete? Q. What concern do I need to have for dropped cigarettes or surface fire in general? Q. Is there anything about an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation that may cause an allergic reaction or pose a health risk to adults, children or pets? What are the costs of an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation?   Not much,……..What is important to understand is that total costs are a function of the installed products in combination with installation labor. By design, AlwaysGREEN Turf promotes and provides for a total cost that compares almost identically with carpeting the inside of a home. Unique and particularly challenging installation sites may result in a slightly higher cost than conventional indoor carpet. Caution is advised that many competitors of AlwaysGREEN Turf mislead their potential customers by quoting a price that is not all-inclusive. It is also important to understand that synthetic grass installation generally includes some general landscaping work, and sometimes, special site excavation which is not typically considered a part of the synthetic grass pricing.   Return to questions   How does the installed cost of AlwaysGREEN Turf compare to a sod or seeded lawn installation?   It costs more……..but, this question poses a comparison which AlwaysGREEN Turfwas not designed nor intended to compete. A sod or seeded lawn, without a sprinkler system installation, can be installed for less. But, over the 15 to 25 year life cycle of AlwaysGREEN Turf, all sod and seeded lawns will exceed “all-in” care and maintenance costs by 7 to 15 times. In fact, AlwaysGREEN Turf will pay for itself in comparison to a seeded lawn in less than 5 years. Furthermore, the installation can be financed as a regular home improvement.   Return to questions   Can I be provided a “Sample” of AlwaysGREEN Turf?   Yes, but, it is not free……..and, it is probably not necessary. AlwaysGREEN Turfis not a carpet. Appreciation of the quality of it’s manufacturing, the superiority it’s performance, and it’s unequaled natural appearance can best be achieved when viewing it in the installed form. For this reason, the “Sample Box” contains the synthetic grass product, the infills, and the edging detail as separately packaged with instructions as to how to “self prepare.” It is provided only upon pre-payment of $25.00 with a return address. Please make payment to AlwaysGREEN Turf @ Frey Road Industrial Park, Building #1414, Pittsburgh PA, 15235.   Return to questions   Can AlwaysGREEN Turfbe purchased by the property owner as an “INSTALL IT YOURSELF” product?   Yes, but it is not advised,……..Installing AlwaysGREEN Turf is not rocket science. Nevertheless, the skills required are taught, learned and perfected, over time, by AlwaysGREEN Turfs DEALERS. They possess the facilities, equipment and manpower necessary to perform the tasks in the most efficient and proficient manners dictated. “Do it yourselfers” will find the installation procedures tedious and the required material and equipment logistics difficult to arrange for and provide. Nevertheless, and given these reservations and cautions, a “self-install” can be accomplished. The terms, conditions, and understandings that are applicable to a “self-install” are separately provided upon completion of the “Inquiry Form”.   Return to questions   Can I have AlwaysGREEN Turf everywhere that I have grass?   Yes, you can……..and, in fact, you can have AlwaysGREEN Turf in places where grass won’t grow. The better question is “What are the best design objectives of a synthetic grass installation?” Natural grass is not landscape. It is merely a “filler space” within what generally is described, in the broader context, as landscaping. A landscape includes plants, trees, shrubs, flowers and ornamentation. When considering an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation, it is advisable to view it as an adornment that is, itself, as much a “feature” of the landscape as anything else in it. It is not appropriate to view it as just a “filler space” replacement to grass. Careful, long term design considerations are important to the decision of the extent of it’s coverage. AlwaysGREEN Turfprides itself on being the highest quality and least expensive synthetic grass in the market. Thoughtful and practical layout and design considerations, relative to the area to be covered, is important to the achievement of added beauty at the most minimal cost.   Return to questions   What if I want to plant trees and shrubs or construct other landscape improvements after the installation?   Do it yourself or call the installer……..Cutting out and removing the AlwaysGREEN Turf to accommodate new plantings is very easily accomplished by anyone. Re-edging of the cut areas can also be accomplished by anyone and in many different, and, obvious ways. Speaking with your installer regarding this potential at the time of the original installation shall relieve any concerns. A later consultation, is always welcomed, but, is not a necessity.   Return to questions   How long does it take to install AlwaysGREEN Turf ?   Not long at all,……..The typical installation can be accomplished in one day and virtually all but the especially large or complex are completed in two days.   Return to questions   How long will AlwaysGREEN Turf last?   A long time,……..The AlwaysGREEN Turfproducts and in-fills specifications have been time tested at installations that have been in existence for more than 15 years. Depending upon climate conditions, a 12 year to 25 year useful life is to be expected. The product is warranted for 8 years.   Return to questions   Can I put swing sets and other child play equipment on AlwaysGREEN Turf ?   Absolutely,……..Such equipment can either rest on or be permanently put in place with a foundation that penetrates the synthetic surface.   Return to questions   What about a child’s safety of play?   It is improved,……..What is absolutely certain, and a matter of common sense, is that AlwaysGREEN Turfpresents a surface that is softer than natural earth and grass. Furthermore, AlwaysGREEN Turf is less abrasive and consistently free of the sharp stones and protruding objects typically rising to the surface in natural soils. The sliding soles of children’s feet have virtually no wear and tear effect on the synthetic surface. Lastly, a child’s play will never result in the staining and muddying in clothing or the potential of dangerous wood splinters that is so common to traditional play surfaces.   Return to questions   How are dogs and cats likely to react to AlwaysGREEN Turf ?   With indifference,……..Dogs could care less and will generally conduct their business as always. Cats seem to gravitate to bordering planting beds. Nevertheless, and regardless of a pet’s preferences, their business is and can be more easily removed and washed away on AlwaysGREEN Turf than it can on grass with no harm or effect on the synthetic fibers. Such cannot be said of grass.   Return to questions   How do I maintain AlwaysGREEN Turf after it is installed?   With ease,……..The only maintenance recommendation is that AlwaysGREEN Turf be raked with a leaf rake or gone over with a stiff broom a few times a year. The purpose of raking is to stand-up and further split the fiber blades, to reconstitute the infills, and to gather weeds, seeds, foliage and refuge typically deposited by winds and weather.   Return to questions   Will weeds grow?   Yes,……..The sand and rubber infills of AlwaysGREEN Turf will provide a hydraponic environment in which wind blown seeds can and will take root. The AlwaysGREEN Turf“Backing” material, however, provides a strong barrier that dramatically inhibits root growth to the underlying soils. What this means is that weeds are easily plucked or can even be removed by a leaf rake that actually benefits and improves upon the installation.   Return to questions   What about insects?   Not an issue,……..Initially, surface insects are eliminated entirely. Over time and with the introduction of precipitation and wind-borne minerals and nutrients, the infills can support and sustain insect life. Neither the infills nor the synthetic grass themselves are, however, conducive to infestation at any level comparable to grass.   Return to questions   What do I do about removing leaves and other dropped foliage?   It is of no concern,……..Leaves can be blown off or raked up. Both processes actually improve upon the appearance of the AlwaysGREEN Turf. In fact, casual appearing leaves and dropped foliage help to promote a naturalness that is desirable.   Return to questions   Are there any competitors of AlwaysGREEN Turf?   Certainly there are,…….. Most research can be conducted on the Internet. Not all competitors are nationwide and some locales will offer limited choices. Be very certain that any examination is apples to apples. The marketing and sales conducted by many competitors is intentionally misleading. AlwaysGREEN Turf simply is the market leader by which “come-lately” competition must be judged.   Return to questions   Why doesn’t an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation, like most of it’s synthetic grass competition, require an underlying stone base and drainage system?   Because it’s unnecessary,……..Synthetic grass was invented for, and was introduced as, a product for athletic fields and facilities. As the superbly natural look and feel of the surface, and it’s obvious maintenance saving qualities, became evident to broader consumer markets, a new demand developed. Many competitors capitalized on these increased sales opportunities by simply duplicating athletic field installation specifications. For home and business owners that could afford it, and who didn’t mind “pool table” lawn and landscape, a service was provided and a profit objective was realized. AlwaysGREEN Turf installations purport that installing a stone base and drainage system in a residential lawn or commercial feature landscape is a most illogical concept for the reasons provided by the following paragraphs. · To look natural, a synthetic grass installation must rise and fall, slope and contour exactly in the same manner as the natural grass and landscape does. It must visually accentuate root systems, planting beds, surface drainage away from the home and other buildings just as nature intends and as man has regularly devised. Synthetic grass must be as irregular and imperfect in its surface as the grass it replaces. To do anything else is to accentuate an undesirable "artificialness". It is not practically possible to excavate for a stone base and then install that stone base in a way that will mirror the surface conditions that were previously and naturally existing. The result is "fake". · One of the side effects of a stone base is to create an underlying surface that approximates the hardness of asphalt. Protection from potential “slip and fall” harm to adults and children, as a result of the underlying hardness, then necessitates a higher fiber and a thicker layer of in-fills. Both of these add significantly to the material costs, and requires greater labor time and costs to install. The only reason for enduring these increased labor and material costs is to mask the “hardness” of the stone base that isn’t necessary to install. · The only purpose a stone base serves is to accommodate sub-surface drainage. Such is not only unnecessary, it is undesirable in an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation. Nature regularly provides for the handling of all forms of its own precipitation. All of man’s inventions relative to the changing of nature’s design are solely for the purposes of convenience and storm water management. Concern for drainage of storm water in an athletic field is a design necessity. Attempting to import that necessity to a lawn or landscape installation is inappropriate. 1. No person expects to go outside and roll around their lawn in moments after a storm, 2. The collection and routing of storm water is prohibited in many jurisdictions, 3. Storm water collection and disposal systems often require permits, tap-in fees, and costly environmental impact studies, 4. Collection systems are expensive to install and invite jurisdictional inspector attentions, 5. Given a difference between the desired surface configuration vs. necessitated sub-surface drainage design, certain installations may be literally impossible, or, may be so costly as to negate the possibility of an installation, 6. Any buried product, such as stone and drainage systems, present a likelihood of periodic maintenance due to natural or climatic circumstances such as settlement, expansion and contraction. Home and business owners must be presumed to have no willingness or capability to perform such maintenance tasks on their own. · Excavating earth for the acceptance of a stone base and drainage system introduces the potential of uncovering utility lines, sprinkler systems, site lighting, electrical service lines, rock, shale, soils contaminates, buried construction materials and a whole host of sub-surface circumstances that would, due to costs and installation labor demands, be better left avoided. · While most people will prefer synthetic grass to natural grass, there will always be some persons that enjoy and are willing to endure the costs of lawn maintenance. It is an advantage to the home and business owner to acquire a product that can be easily removed and replaced. Removal of a stone base and drainage system is an exceptionally costly option and, therefore, could jeopardize the sale of a Customer’s home or business.   Return to questions   What happens when it rains?   AlwaysGREEN Turf gets wet,……..What is interesting is that AlwaysGREEN Turf will dry in about the same or slightly less amount of time as grass, and, as it dries naturally, there does not exist the underlying inconvenience of muddy soils.   Return to questions   Are there any sub-surface drainage requirements for AlwaysGREEN Turf?   Never……..AlwaysGREEN Turf prides itself on a manufacturing and installation system that is superior to all others. The percolation and surface runoff characteristics of that system actually meets or exceeds the performance of natural grass and soils under even severe storm conditions.   Return to questions   How does AlwaysGREEN Turfdrain water in comparison to grass and earth?   The same or better,…….. AlwaysGREEN Turf is manufactured with a patented drainage design involving channels of permeability over the entire surface of the backing other than that comprising the coated fiber rows. No other synthetic grass in the market possesses AlwaysGREEN Turf’s porosity. The resultant effect is that any water landing upon the grass fiber surface has the capability of being absorbed by the ground at about the same rate as it would if a screen door was placed upon it. Adding to the drainage capacity is the fact that the sand and rubber in-fills will retain heavy rain down-pours for a more natural absorption rate by the ground beneath. Under the most extreme weather circumstances, AlwaysGREEN Turf will begin to surface drain, and, when doing so, the run-off is identical to that of natural grass.   Return to questions   Are there any local permits or approvals required prior to installation?   Typically, there are none,……..In very rare instances there have been a few localities that have raised some attention. They generally do so as a result of mis-information or dis-information. Their attention generally relates solely to those installations involving sub-surface drainage controls which do not pertain to an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation. In any event, your authorized installer can respond to any specific questions in this regard.   Return to questions   What do I do when underground utilities need to be accessed by myself or municipal and utility company authorities?   No big deal,……..About the same if not less of a problem than with grass. Simply cut the AlwaysGREEN Turf and roll it back from the area to be excavated. When completed with the operation, compact the soils, move the carpet back over the area and rake the infills into place. You may wish to contact your authorized AlwaysGREEN Turf installer for assistance or guidance regarding the procedures.   Return to questions   What effect will the installation have on the value of my property?   Such is a matter of opinion……..Most people tend to view “limited maintenance” as an enhancement to value or, at least, an inducement to property resale ability.   Return to questions   Does AlwaysGREEN Turf possess any Federal, State or other Jurisdictional “approvals” or “designations” relating to it’s installation or use?   No, and neither does grass,……..Moreover AlwaysGREEN Turf has not sought any and has no plans to do so in the future. AlwaysGREEN Turf is simply presented to the market as a more consistently perfect looking and less maintenance costly alternative to any grass lawn or landscape cover than anything available in the market. The facts that AlwaysGREEN Turf is presented to be more environmentally and ecologically correct, and, the many other benefits it presumes to offer, are purely matters of common sense that are subject to the buyer’s personal perceptions, appreciation and preferences.   Return to questions   Can AlwaysGREEN Turf fade in color over time?   No,……..AlwaysGREEN Turf is not a dyed fiber. It is homogeneous in its manufacture and will retain its color regardless of wear or climatic conditions. Over an extremely extended period of time, ultra-violet light will ultimately have a degradation effect but never a discoloration effect.   Return to questions   What do I do if AlwaysGREEN Turf is vandalized?   File a claim under your property insurance,……..You can expect standard deductibles to be applicable. Most vandal circumstances can be corrected by the property owner. In severe circumstances, a call to your installer is advised. In other words, about the same that you would do for any vandalism.   Return to questions   Do I need to contact my insurance company regarding my installation?   It’s up to you,……..Most home and business owners’ standard perils property insurance will automatically provide for coverage of synthetic grass under the provisions that apply to decks, barbecues, patios, outdoor furnishings in place, and, other sorts of personal property. Most interesting is that grass and other living ground cover is not insured in standard policies.     Return to questions How does AlwaysGREEN Turf feel to bare feet?   Soft,……..and pretty much exactly like grass except that the infills and ground beneath provides for a more cushioned step.     Return to questions Can the sand & rubber infills be tracked and transported by shoes or clothing?   Yes, slightly,……..but not to any level of appreciable notice! The infills might be particularly transported on the soles of feet after a rain, but, not to any more degree than is common dirt or cut grass clippings transported when wet. More relevant is that the infills are clean, non-staining and easily swept or vacuumed.     Return to questions Can the sand & rubber infills be blown around by the wind?   Not really,……..except that a hurricane or tornado may cause some displacement! Within a short amount of time, and with the occurrence of weather and dusts, the infills actually compact and consolidate to a desirable surface density. This density is only marginally less solid than common soils while, nevertheless, maintaining a greater and more suitable porosity.     Return to questions Will AlwaysGREEN Turf freeze, or the surface become especially icy under cold temperatures?   Not any more so than grass,……..AlwaysGREEN Turf and its infill system is slower to freeze, faster to thaw and is not materially harmed in any way as a result of temperature. It even acts as a blanket to the frost conditions of the soils beneath it.     Return to questions Under winter snow cover, doesAlwaysGREEN Turfappear particularly unnatural or especially artificial?   Absolutely not,……..Although the perfection of color and quality may be inexplicable, it is not overly dramatic and generally goes unnoticed by most casual observers.     Return to questions Can AlwaysGREEN Turf be installed over asphalt or concrete?   Yes it can,……..Such an installation requires either a gradual natural slope for surface drainage or a special underlayment for a sub-surface drainage system. The latter introduces some additional costs. The surface produced is just as natural looking as grass, but is substantially harder than installations on natural earth.     Return to questions What concern do I need to have for dropped cigarettes or surface fire in general?   Virtually none,……..AlwaysGREEN Turf does not burn, and the rubber consistency of it’s sand and rubber in-fills is not dense enough to sustain a fire. A lit cigarette, may, in extremely dry circumstances, cause immediately touching fibers to bend or distort but not to any degree that is noticeable. Accelerates, such as gasoline, will cause harm to the immediate area to about the same degree as would occur on natural grass. Fire is not a good thing under any circumstances, but the installation itself poses no appreciably added need for concern.     Return to questions Is there anything about an AlwaysGREEN Turf installation that may cause an allergic reaction or pose a health risk to adults, children or pets?   None at all,……..The specified materials comprising AlwaysGREEN Turf and its in-fills are absolutely sterile, hypo-allergenic, non-toxic, non-carcinogen materials that are common to the everyday life of every person and animal on the planet.     Return to questions