Reno artificial turf has seen a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years, whether you are looking to install it in your backyard or on a more commercial basis.
While it’s beautiful, realistic and easy to maintain, there is one question that homeowners and businesses are asking more frequently: Is artificial turf fire-resistant? If a fire were to break out, would artificial grass burn?
What Exactly Does “Fire Resistance” Mean?
A material is fire resistant if it can withstand a fire without burning apart. A material’s fire resistance ranking is based on the time it takes for the flame to burn through the material.
Why Is Fire Resistance Important for Groundcover?
Fire-resistant materials are especially important for groundcover. They can make a difference in case of a fire.
Some outdoor flooring, such as wood or grass, make the risk of catching and spreading fire is significant.
There’s less risk of a fire in fire-resistant groundcovers, such as artificial turf, brick, and concrete. In fact, these materials can even slow down the spread of a fire and help extinguish the flames.
Why Are Natural Lawns Flammable?
Natural lawns have grasses and other plant matter growing from soil. While not all grass burns equally well, the grass itself is a fibrous material that doesn’t need much heat to ignite and isn’t difficult to burn.
Fertilizers and pesticides can also fuel fires. Chemicals can make grass more flammable than usual.
The Fire Resistance of Artificial Grass
A lot of people in California didn’t know if they’d find their homes standing after wildfires swept through the area in late 2017. The Thomas Fire burned 114 miles and destroyed 1,063 structures before it was contained.
However, homes with artificial turf suffered less damage.
Here are a few reasons why:
It Doesn’t Catch Fire, but Simply Melts
Synthetic turf is a non-flammable material, meaning it will not catch fire. Like all non-flammable building materials, it has a melting point of around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
When exposed to heat, it will not burn, but rather melt and become unglued at the point of fire exposure. This will expose the layer of infill below the turf, which burns at a slower rate than natural grass.
It Has Minimal Flammable Materials
Some infill has materials such as sand, rubber or cork. While they’re less flammable than natural grass, they can still burn. However, it will not burn so fast or so hot as to create a fire hazard if properly installed.
It’s Backing Also Contributes to Fire Resistance
The backing on artificial turf in Reno, NV is also made from non-flammable materials.
Backings have polyethylene or polypropylene, which are both difficult to ignite and produce little heat when they burn. Because of this, it’s unlikely that the backing on artificial turf will ever catch fire.
Its Synthetic Fibers Suppress Fire
Made of polyethylene, polypropylene or nylon, artificial grass is considered a Class 1 fire retardant material. This means it can help slow down the spread of fire and help extinguish the fire since there’s nothing to feed the flames.
Some manufacturers even add special additives to their products to make them even more fire-resistant. You can talk to your artificial grass experts to know more.
It Has a Non-Combustible Base
The base materials of artificial grass don’t burn, like gravel, sand, stone dust, and stone. If there is a fire in the area adjacent to the base, it cannot spread to the artificial grass since the base does not burn.
Make Fire Safety Your Priority With Artificial Turf
Get that peace of mind knowing you’re protecting your home against fire with artificial grass.
Reno Artificial Grass can help! Our experts will help you choose the best artificial grass for your project and walk you through the process. We also offer professional landscaping in Reno, Nevada.
You can send us a message online or call us at 775-514-6889 to get started!