Do Artificial Turf Cooling Systems Really Work?

It's no secret that artificial grass can become warm to the touch under the sun in the mid-day heat. With advancing technologies hitting the market many are taking advantage of premium cooling infills that pledge to offer an artificial grass surface that stays cool. But just how effective are these cooling systems? 

Artificial Grass Cooling Infill Systems

One of the main reservations homeowners have when considering converting from natural grass to artificial is the surface temperature. Because artificial grass is made of different types of plastic, a warm surface has historically been inevitable on hot days. A few cooling turf infills on the market have created a buzz within the industry. Below we'll talk about the options available. 

HydroChill 

HydroChill is a unique type of pre-coated sand infill that aims to keep synthetic turf cooler in hot weather. When the turf is heated by the sun, water stored in HydroChill is released through evaporative cooling, providing a significant temperature reduction. HydroChill states it has the ability to lower surface temperatures by up to 50 degrees.

T° Cool

Much like HydroChill, T° Cool uses an evaporative cooling system within its coated infill to keep the surface cooler on warm days. T° Cool also features anti-microbial properties to prevent mold, bacteria, and mildew growth. According to their website, T° Cool infill has the ability to drastically drop the temperature of artificial grass - between 35-50 degrees. 

Is Cooling Infill for Synthetic Turf Actually Effective? 

While these cooling turf infills sound amazing and could be a game changer, are they actually effective? We're not so sure. HydroChill and T° Cool require the surface to be rinsed with water to activate the cooling system. Unless you first supply a heavy flow of water to the surface, these infills are not effective in cooling.

They are comparing a dry artificial lawn with silica sand to a rinsed-down lawn to state that they've dropped the temperatures between 35-50 degrees. Of course, you will see a drastic temperature drop when one lawn is rinsed with water while the other is not. 

In our opinion, cooling infills for artificial grass may help keep the surface cool longer after being rinsed down, but we believe most of the temperature drop is coming from the fact that you're watering down the surface. You'll see a similar temperature drop when rinsing a surface that has regular silica sand infill.

How Can you Achieve the Coolest Artificial Turf Surface? 

While all synthetic grass will become warm under direct sun, certain types of artificial turf will stay cooler than others. If you're on the hunt for artificial grass that stays cool, there are a few things to pay attention to:

Density

The biggest factor that plays a role in the overall temperature of an artificial lawn will be the density of the grass chosen. While plush and soft artificial grass is sought after often, it will become the hottest on warm days because there are more fibers and the grass is heavier. If artificial grass temperature is your main concern, opt for a low-density turf for the best results. 

Uniformity

In our testing and experience with artificial grass installation, we found that artificial grass that appears messier with non-directional blades will remain cooler than uniform artificial grass because there is more airflow throughout the grass. When the blades are more compact and uniform air has less opportunity to penetrate the surface and cool it down. 

Color Shade

Like dark clothing, darker artificial grass attracts more heat and sunlight. Deep green synthetic lawns will typically be a bit warmer in comparison to one that's a lighter shade of green.  

Shape of Blade

Artificial grass with flat or diamond blades will often become hotter under the direct sun than a more structured blade shape. This is because flat blades are more exposed to sunlight than those that are bent or corrugated.

Aside from choosing a less dense and light-colored artificial turf, you can also provide more shade by planting trees and installing shade sails, awnings, and umbrellas. This will help keep artificial grass cool on hot days.

Cool artificial grass for pets and kids

Our online synthetic turf store features some of the most popular grasses available from trusted suppliers in the industry. To help you narrow down your search, we performed a series of performance tests on each artificial turf product sold by InstallArtificial. Each grass is tested in terms of wear and tear resistance, recovery rate, and temperature. Whether you're installing artificial grass for pets or children, a cool surface should be top of mind. Check out our findings below to find the best artificial grass that stays cool: 

• Playground Heaven Turf
• Play Zone Plus Turf
• Baby Touch Turf
• Pet Pride Basic Turf
• Pet Pride Pro Turf
• Smart Pet Plus Turf