Some warranty offerings are simply too good to be true, so it’s important to read the fine print and know exactly what you’re getting before you sign on that dotted line.

When you’re buying artificial grass in Santa Cruz, CA, you want to make sure that your product will last for years to come. Choosing a turf product that’s backed by a warranty provides some peace of mind, but do you actually know what your warranty covers? Here are a few warning signs to look out for as well as some tips on how to better understand your artificial grass warranty.

Lifetime Warranty Issues

If a company offers a lifetime warranty, then you might think that your artificial grass is covered for, well, a lifetime. However, this usually isn’t the case. Unfortunately for buyers, there aren’t any laws about how companies use this “lifetime” term. Many times it’s up to the company or manufacturer to determine how long that warranty is applicable and what they consider to be the lifetime of that product. And sometimes, a lifetime warranty is even dictated by the state you live in.

Some companies producing products overseas don’t provide a limited 10, 12 or 15-year warranty that is pretty standard in this industry. Instead, they offer a much lengthier or even lifetime warranty. But buyers beware! They often can’t hold true to their warranty simply because receiving your defective product and sending you a new one is very expensive due to freight costs alone.

Let’s say that your artificial grass in Santa Cruz, CA was fine for the first few years and then started experiencing issues. You call your local installer with the issues only to find out they have gone out of business. Now who do you call? Good luck finding the actual manufacturer contact info! It doesn’t exist, yet they are the ones who offered you the product warranty. This is a real-case scenario, and what that means is that you’re out of luck. And remember, especially with a lifetime warranty, it’s only as good as the life of the company that offers it. It’s important to research how long the turf company or manufacturer has been in business for and to do your due diligence by reading lots of reviews on sites like Yelp, Google, the Better Business Bureau and industry websites, such as the Synthetic Turf Council (STC).

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Read the Fine Print

Some synthetic grass warranties may read more like legal jibber jabber than anything else. Read the fine print – it’s important that you take the time to do so – and make sure to ask lots of questions about your artificial grass warranty. You need to fully understand what your fine print says and means. Here are just a few to ask:

• Who is responsible for honoring the warranty?
• Is it a third-party warranty? If so, why doesn’t the turf company offer their own warranty?
• What do they do if something is wrong with the turf?
• What is considered normal wear and tear?
• What maintenance is required to be covered?
• Are the materials and installation covered?
• What isn’t covered under the warranty?
• How will I know when my synthetic turf has reached its end of life?

Ask for Proof

If finding a company that manufactures products in the U.S. is important to you, then ask for proof. You can request to see a certificate like this one that proves the artificial grass you’re buying in Santa Cruz, CA was in fact made right here in the good old USA. The STC is actually here to help protect and guide consumers, so be sure to check their Buyer’s Guide listing of Manufacturers and Installers to ensure that you choose an upstanding company within the industry.

It’s important to note that not all synthetic grass companies offer warranties you should be worried about. To see that you get the most out of your turf and have peace of mind with this kind of investment, it’s imperative that you research, read and question until you feel comfortable signing that contract.

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