Your home's insulation is an effective barrier against heat infiltration in summer and heat loss in winter. Proper landscaping can boost insulation, by helping it maintain indoor air temperatures. With fall an ideal time for planting, here are a few tips for improving the power of your home's insulation and reduce heating and cooling costs:
- If your entry is recessed or has a projection, plant small evergreen trees or shrubs close to it. They will help block harsh winter winds and the penetrating summer sun, and prevent heat loss or gain in both seasons.
- Ivy can be a great insulator for your home. It is best used growing up a west-facing wall. As afternoon summer sun hits the wall, the ivy absorbs heat and creates a shade. This keeps the wall cool and boosts the effectiveness of wall insulation. An ivy-covered trellis can also benefit the home by blocking the summer sun.
- Plant deciduous trees on the northeast or northwest sides of your home. Deciduous trees loose their leaves in the winter and allow sunlight to go through bare branches to heat your outside walls. Conversely, in summer, those leaves protect outside walls by absorbing heat and shading your home. This is especially important on areas of the home where the hottest summer rays shine from 2 to 5 p.m.
- Bushes, shrubs or fencing on the side of the home where prevailing winter winds blow can protect against cold air, blocking winds before they strike the home. Picket fencing can also help. The spaces between pickets allow air to flow through but at a slower speed.
- Keep landscaping plants out of the path of prevailing summer winds. This allows summer breezes to move hot air away from the outside walls of your home.
Natural landscaping helps your insulation's effectiveness and keeps indoor air more comfortable. This helps you save energy and gives your home greater curb appeal. At Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, we have many other options to help you reduce your energy costs. Call us with your home-comfort questions. We're always ready to help.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about landscaping for home energy efficiency and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Solutions Guide.
Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning serves the Route 495/128 area of Massachusetts. Visit our website to see our special offers to get started today!
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