One easy way to save money on energy costs while improving your home is to plant trees around your home. Strategically placed trees and shrubs can save you money on your energy bills year round. In the winter, trees can shield your home from wind and reduce your heating bill. In the summer, trees can shade your home and reduce the surrounding air temperature by an average of 9 degrees. They can also reduce the temperature of your roof and walls by up to 40 degrees! All of this reduces the amount of energy it takes to keep your house cool in the summer. Over the course of a year, an average home can save anywhere between $150 and $250 on energy costs just by strategically planting trees and shrubs around the home.

Of course there are many more benefits to planting trees than just saving money on energy bills. Landscaping can protect against erosion and clean the air, as well as soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Trees also provide food and housing for insects, birds, and other wildlife.

THE FACTS

Over the course of a year, an average home can save anywhere between $150 and $250 on energy costs just by strategically planting trees and shrubs around the home.