SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/37461
Facility&Operations | Chris Harrison AVOID VOIDING your turf warranty things: durability and performance of the product, itself; and the installation of the product. Among the standard items guaran- teed are that seams will remain adhered, that the inlays will remain in place and that the surface will remain playable. Why 8 years? Good question. John “I did what you told me to do!” That’s the best defense for any field manager faced with a warranty issue on a synthetic turf field. And the way for the manager to document that defense is to maintain a simple log book that lists dates of sweeping, brushing, infill replacement and other maintenance practices. However, field managers at all levels agree that most companies—especially if they expect to be in business for the long term—will do the right thing by their cus- tomers. “Don’t stress about the letter of the law,” says Darian Daily, head groundskeeper at Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals. By that, he means that a grounds crew should do what needs to be done to keep the field in good shape. “Eight years ago, we were told we were to drag the field four times a year,” he re- calls. Experience showed that more mainte- nance was needed and they have had no warranty issues as a result. “Don’t get too caught up in the letter of the law. For the most part, companies know you’ve got to do what you have to do.” Still, it pays to cover your bases. “They give you a manual. Go by it.” — McNeal “I keep a calendar log, day by day, of maintenance,” says Abby McNeal, CSFM, 22 SportsTurf | August 2011 director of turf management at Wake Forest University. If they sweep the field, she notes the date and whether the field was power swept or simply dragged. They note when the mound clay is spruced up, entering that job in the daily log along with all the other maintenance practices. That way, McNeal and Wake Forest have proof that they com- plied with the manufacturer’s warranty. “Don’t stress about the letter of the law.” — Daily Daily has access to a computer-based work-order tracking system. The high-tech system is used to bill back expense items for every event at Paul Brown Stadium. “We have a work order when we clean the field, when we drag the field, or we make a repair,” Daily says. If there is a warranty issue, the computer prints out exactly what was done and when. The standard warranty in the industry is for 8 years. Typically, the warranty that comes with the carpet covers two separate Sorochan, co-director with Jim Brosnan at the Center for Safer Athletic Fields at the University of Tennessee, says warranties are typically based on lab tests focused on the life of the fiber…not the field’s use or loca- tion, or maintenance practices. “Warranties always have been based on a hunch on how long the fiber will last,” Sorochan says. The Center is starting a pro- gram this fall to begin to quantify some of the myriad elements that go into field life. Until then, vendors and buyers will be stuck with traditional rule-of-thumb standards. “Standard warranty,” however, does not mean “fixed in stone.” McNeal suggests that sports field managers read the warranty terms before buying. “If the warranty does not sound right for your situation, ask for “Keep a log of what you do.” — Cook provisions to be put in or for the warranty to be adjusted for your situation,” she advises. Once you sign that paper, those are the terms that will rule any future discussion. Keep in mind that you are dealing with a carpet that will be outdoors for a decade or so. It will be exposed to UV light that will break down the fibers. Depending on location, it will be subject to snow and ice or to pine needles and leaves. A typical war- ranty will cover issues like the fibers remain- ing in the backing and the field draining as specified. That’s what the manufacturer promises. The city or college that owns the field has to do its bit, too. That means regular mainte- nance, by the book. “We’ve never voided a warranty yet,” says Webb Cook, president of Sprinturf, King of Prussia, PA. “The best way for a manager to stay out of trouble is to follow at least the minimum protocol in the manual and be www.sportsturfonline.com By Image © istockphoto.com/thesuperph