Landscaping
Landscaping is an effective way to reduce your heating and cooling costs while adding to the beauty of your home at the same time. It's affordable and can often be done by the homeowner at affordable expense.
- Trees that lose their leaves in the fall are the most effective at reducing energy costs. Properly placed they will protect your home from the summer sun yet allow sunlight to warm your home in the winter.
- Vines grown on trellises can shade a window or an entire side of a home.
- Evergreen trees and shrubs planted on the north and west sides of your home will deflect winter winds. Planted on the south and west sides, they will deflect summer winds.
- Landscaping will help you only if you plan your plantings properly. Never plant near a power pole or power lines. Not only is it safer to plant away from poles and lines; it reduces the chance of damage and power interruptions during a storm.
