Usually, when we look out over our lawns and decide that there is some landscaping that needs to be done, it’s usually for aesthetic purposes more than anything else. After all, being that people see the outside of our homes before they step into the inside of them, it would make sense that we’d want the grass cut, the trees and shrubs trimmed and some flowers planted.
Yet, did you know that there are certain landscaping things that you can do that will also help to reduce your monthly energy bills? If you’re about to do some yard work and you’d like a few tips on what you can do to produce some energy efficient results, we have five proven recommendations for you below:
Plant more trees. Have you ever noticed that some of the most beautiful homes have plenty of trees in the yard? Well, if you asked the owners of those houses what the amount their electricity bills are, they would probably tell you that they’re lower than average. That’s because a well-positioned tree can actually reduce the amount of energy costs in a home by as much as 25 percent. Plus, a house that has a lot of trees can also cause the yard itself to be about six degrees cooler.
Create wide open spaces. If you live in an area where you tend to experience some pretty cold winters filled with lots of snow, according to many landscape artists, one thing that you can do is make sure that the south side of your home is an open lawn space (meaning, that you don’t put are not a lot of trees and shrubs on that side of the house). If you do this, the snow will have room to accumulate and when the sun reflects off of it, your home will feel warmer as a direct result.
Build a tall fence. Another tip for those who happen to live in cold weather climates is to build a tall fence around the yard. The reason why is it that it will help to serve as a barrier against bitterly chilling winds. This will also lower your heating bills as well.
Install a water feature. So, what about if you live in a place where the summers are exceptionally hot? Well, one thing that you should do is have one or two water features installed on your property. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they help to cool the area they are in as well. If you would like to make an even bigger “cooling impact”, think about installing a small pond in your backyard.
Create some shade around your air conditioner. If you were to ask some California, Dallas or Florida A/C dealers what they would recommend to keep your energy costs down, one of the things that they would probably tell you is to make sure that your outdoor air conditioning unit has some shade around it. If the unit itself is cooler, then it won’t have to work as hard to circulate air throughout your home. And when the unit doesn’t require as much electricity, your bills will be lower. It’s definitely a small thing that can make a big difference.