Your turf only smells after it rains. Here is what that tells you.

First, water reaches residue that had dried out. Bacteria in the infill wake up and start producing ammonia, sulfur compounds and the general "wet dog run" smell. Second, the water has to go somewhere. In turf that drains well it is through the backing and gone in an hour, and the smell fades with it. In turf where the infill has compacted, or organic matter has clogged the backing, or the base underneath was never built to drain, water sits for a day or more and the bacteria keep working the whole time.

Humidity does the same thing more slowly. A run of muggy August nights on the Grand Strand keeps the infill damp without any rain at all, which is why late summer is when odor complaints peak.

After the next heavy rain, walk the yard an hour after it stops. Press your palm flat on the turf in the pet zone, in the middle of the lawn, and at the lowest edge. Damp is normal. Squelching, or water rising around your fingers, is not, and it means the turf is holding water. Then look for the reasons: a downspout that discharges onto the turf, a spot that is lower than the patio or the border, infill that has crusted into a pan, or a strip along a fence that never sees sun.

The residue is treated the way we treat any urine odor: flush, enzyme, antimicrobial, infill groomed or replaced in the pet zones. The moisture side depends on what we find. Compacted or organic-clogged infill is loosened, rinsed or replaced so water passes through again. A downspout or a low spot is a conversation about grading or a drain, which we can point you to. A base that was built without drainage is a rebuild, and we will tell you rather than treat it every year.