• Artificial turf installed in cemeteries.
Home > Blog > 2016 > July

Artificial Turf Revolutionizes the Cemetery Industry

July 10, 2016

The uses for artificial turf are endless. One place that most may not think of as a likely synthetic turf installation site is a cemetery. Some are quite large with huge amounts of grass which need a huge amount of maintenance. Think of the amount of water and chemicals it takes to keep the grass looking its best. People who manage them would greatly benefit from switching to turf. It makes one wonder just how many graveyards there are in California and what their water limits are during the drought.

We mostly think of turf being in places where people play and gather. A graveyard certainly doesn’t come to mind, but it is a place where people go to pay their respects. We honor our friends and family who have passed. As it is their final resting place, it should always look its best for those who visit. Just think of how much it might cost to keep all of that grass green. By changing over to synthetic turf, a great deal of money could be saved in water usage. The savings would also be felt in lower costs to take care of the grounds. Experts in the field, Watersavers Turf, can offer advice for those who want to make the switch to this cost saving option.

One member of this industry who has changed over is Sunset Hills Memorial Park, a cemetery located in California. They replaced their grass with synthetic turf. By doing this, they saved $180,000 in lawn care and water usage over a three-year period. This Apple Valley cemetery is where famous cowboy stars Dale Evans, and Roy Rogers are laid to rest.

“I actually believe it will revolutionize the cemetery industry eventually,” said Chet Hitt, Sunset Hills co-owner. It sounds like Mr. Hitt is on to something, perhaps an emerging new market for others in the industry.

Hitt doesn’t know of any others that have made the switch to synthetic turf. In the past, he has sold turf to people only for their family plots and has since added it throughout his site. Some of the reasons that this makes good sense are that artificial turf maintenance is so easy to do and, more importantly, it saves money on water. Others in the state might want to consider following suit as California is looking for ways to save water wherever they can.

According to Dave Hepburn of the Interment Association of CA, the state’s largest cemetery trade association, grass can grow into gravesite flower vases and damage them as well as discolor the headstones. Watering the grass can damage walkways and discolor headstones as well.

“The most important thing for a cemetery is to look good at all times, to look beautiful inside,” Hepburn said.

Many counties in the state offer rebates to help people save water. For example, the Contra Costa Water District in the SF East Bay offers a rebate of $1 per square foot of grass replaced. The maximum rebate for a single family is $1,000 and $10,000 for non-residential. Visit our rebate web page to find out details for your area and to get an idea of how much can be saved by making the switch.

Perhaps this is a new market for turf; it makes good sense to check out the savings that can be made over time. It will save on having to replace gravesite flower vases and will improve the overall look. We can assist with an estimate as well as provide samples of our product line. Call us today 844-974-8873.

 

Leave a Comment

We will not publish your email. Required fields are marked below.

(Required)