Scorching Temperatures Causing NTX Homeowners to Consider Fake Grass

Scorching heat, drought and water restrictions are taking a toll on grass across North Texas.

People are spending a lot of money on water bills, fertilizer, and sprinkler systems just to keep their lawns alive, all while their family budgets battle inflation and rising utility costs.

But some are giving up on that grassy dream and switching to a no-fuss alternative: Fake grass.

Local turf and synthetic grass companies in North Texas said they're actually seeing a huge increase in business and phone calls because people cannot keep their yards alive in this unrelenting and intense summer heat.

Karina Leon of Dallas and her family told NBC 5 they had to make the switch.

"Our grass is just not making it through the summers as much as we want to water it and take care of it,” she said. “I feel like this is the way to go. I mean, aesthetically, it looks beautiful. And it's functional.

Their backyard used to be a muddy mess of dead grass around their pool.

They converted their entire backyard to turf, which they say is helping them save money in the long run. Now, they want to switch their entire front yard of dead grass into artificial turf.

"The cost is way lower than getting any irrigation system put in and then having people come out and like mow your lawn all the time,” said Leon. “We can be outside the kids can be outside, we can have water activities on top of it. And there's not mud everywhere."

Synthetic Grass DFW— which helped the Leon family with their yard –  said after this record-breaking hot summer, landscapers will probably be busy next spring laying down replacement sod for all the grass that has died.

Chapman walked us through the key facts about artificial turf that many people ask them about:

• Synthetic grass is completely drainable just like regular grass, so your pets can use the bathroom like normal. Clean up is encouraged to keep the grass in good condition.
• It's not like the turf you'd see at a sports stadium, which uses rubber fill. Most home-based artificial grass uses a sand fill, which helps it to look realistic and keep it cooler to the touch.
• Overall, it can last for decades with proper care.

"The technology in the grass has kind of changed over the last few years. They've incorporated a lot of details in the aesthetics of the grass, variations in the blade links, different colors and textures incorporated in the grass to make it look a little bit more realistic," said Chapman.

It can cost $8 to $10 dollars per square foot, which includes all materials and labor. That's an investment depending on yard size but Chapman said many clients end up saving thousands in water bills over just a one year span.

Alanna Quillen NBC DFW

"The cost of going in and installing an irrigation system, then sod, then the water bill to get the sod to take, then the water bill to maintain, and your maintenance on top of it,” Chapman added. “Outside of just the general maintenance, you're not dealing with having to fertilizer and the bad toxins that you could be putting in around your kids [with real grass].

There are some downsides, but it all depends on a person’s preference and how much of a die-hard fan they are of real grass.

There's no habitat for pollinators. However, that can be offset with a surrounding garden.

Consumers also need to watch out for low quality fake grass, which has toxins that can be released as it degrades over time. If it's done right and laid down by a reputable company, it should be non-toxic.