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Yea! Trees not only help reduce pollution but also reduce energy costs for your home. While every home is unique, mature trees properly placed around your home can “reduce air-conditioning needs by 30% and heating needs by 20%. Another study showed that “planting one young tree on the west side of your home can cut energy costs by 3% within 5 years and nearly 12% within 15 years.” Check out The Davey Tree Institute for a handy Tree Benefit Calculator that will estimate the benefits of having trees in your yard.

Placement also plays an important role in reducing energy costs. The best sides of the house for tress are the east and west. But if you can only plant one tree, remember “west is the best” because it better shades your house during the hottest days of summer. The optimal setting would be to have deciduous tress to the west for shade, a small tree to shade the AC unit, evergreens to the north to block winter winds, and deciduous trees to the east for shade once again. Tress on the south side of the house won’t reduce your energy costs because the sun is too high in the summer to be blocked by most tress and in the winter you want the sun to be able to warm the house.

-Danielle-

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