Tri-County EMC

« September 2011

Consider Planting Trees as an Energy Efficiency Investment

Trees properly placed around your home or business can save you money. It’s an easy concept to understand. When hanging out in the yard on a hot summer day, do you prefer the full sun or the shade from a tree? Now look at your home. What percentage of the day, especially in the late afternoon when the sun is at its hottest, is your home bathed in sunlight? If getting out of the sun makes you more comfortable, imagine what it could do for your home and your cooling bills. (76236-01)

 

East and west facing trees provide the greatest benefit for reducing heat gain and reducing energy use. This is magnified if your home has lots of windows that face direct sunlight. Blinds and curtains help, but keeping direct sunlight off of these windows dramatically reduces heat gain through them. Strategically planting trees that shade your home throughout the afternoon could reduce your cooling bills by 10 to 20%.

 

Taller trees will help provide shade from mid-day sun. As the afternoon sun gets lower on the horizon, you may need lower growing trees or shrubs to block the hot rays coming at your home from a lower angle. Get a game plan together for the number and height of trees you need to create shady spots and then consult with a nursery about the varieties of trees and shrubs that will work best in our climate and your soil type. (15896-01)

The good news is that fall and early winter is a great time to plant trees. Planting trees in November allows roots to get established before the cold of winter, meaning you should have to water them less next summer.

Here are a few tips to consider for planting trees and shrubs that will save energy and lower your bill:

 

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Deciduous trees, which drop their leaves in the winter unlike evergreens, will provide shading in the summer, but will allow winter sun to reach windows, helping lower heating bills.

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Consider a combination of fast and slow growing varieties. Slow growing trees may take years to help with shade, but they tend to have deeper roots and branch structures that stand up to wind and time.

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Shading your outdoor air-conditioning units will make them more efficient, perhaps as much as 5 to 10%. But avoid planting anything that could block airflow on the sides or top of the unit. Never under any circumstances should you plant or construct anything over the top of a central air-conditioner.

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If you are considering building a new home, work with your contractor to protect trees on your lot. The shade provided by a forty-year-old tree may be virtually impossible to replace and could give you a lifetime of shade for the yard and home.