Did you know the way you landscape your yard can impact your home’s energy costs throughout the year? When you learn to arrange your plants properly, you can not only transform your lawn into a beautiful oasis, but also reduce your cooling and heating costs. If you are ready to begin saving right now, use these energy-efficient landscaping tips.
Cool Down Using Trees
Shade trees can help and cool your yard by up to six degrees while reducing indoor temperatures by as much as 25 percent. When your house is cooler, your air conditioner will run approximately 10 percent more efficiently. Not only will this help to reduce energy but can also prolong the unit’s life by reducing wear from day to day operation.
Avoid Wasting Water
When you begin to design your landscape, be sure to choose plants that have become acclimated to the environment and put them where they will receive the ultimate amount of shade and light. Make sure you only water the plants when they need moisture and try to water during the coolest time of the day to avoid excessive evaporation. Also, choose plants that have a strong root system to keep soil in place. This will help to create a much more efficient environment.
Create Dead Space
When you plant bushes, shrubs and vines close to your home’s walls, it will help to trap an insulating pocket of “dead air.” This will help regulate the temperatures in every season. It’s important to make sure plants are placed far enough away so that there’s approximately one foot of space in between the house and the full-grown vegetation. If you place the plants too close, then it can cause issues with the home’s foundation and encourage all types of pests to move inside your home.
Keep Wind at Bay
If you opt to plant a wind break, which includes thick vegetation of all sizes, it can help to minimize wind speeds up to 30 times the actual height of the plants. This can help to prevent seasonal winds from buffering your home and undermining the overall efficiency of your cooling or heating system. Try to use plants such as evergreens to make sure there is superior protection in the winter and summer months.
Encourage Your Climbing Vines to Grow
When you set up trellises, pergolas and archways close to your home’s windows, it can help filter the light coming in and reduce heat gain. Remember, vines will grow faster than trees. This can provide you with more shade, in a shorter period of time. Try to choose a flowering vine, which will attract butterflies and hummingbirds, or plant climbing vegetables and fruits.
As you can see, there are several ways that your landscape can help reduce your energy costs. When you are informed you can make the most of your landscape and save money all at the same time.