Some people may be intimidated by the thought of adding a tree or two into their landscaping plans. After all, some trees are big and shed during the fall. However, while there is some amount of tree care required, it’s not always a high-maintenance addition. It really depends on what kind of tree you’re looking for. Also, you can expect to have these benefits when you plant trees in your garden.
It Saves Energy on Heating and Cooling Costs
When it’s hot and you need to cool down your home, trees strategically placed around your home can block sunlight from heating up the space. During winter, trees can reduce the amount of cold wind that hits your doors and windows. In both cases, your trees reduce the amount of outdoor heat and cold from entering your home and making it harder for your heater or your air-conditioner to reach a certain temperature. As such, you end up saving money on unnecessarily high heating and cooling costs on your electric bill.
Trees are known to have a cooling effect on your home. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, a young healthy tree in your home can have a net cooling effect of around 10 room-size air-conditioners operating at 20 hours a day. This means that a young tree can greatly reduce the need for you to be working your air-conditioner overtime to achieve a cooler indoor temperature.
Environmentally Positive Benefits
One average-sized tree can store hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide in one lifetime. Trees also absorb pollutants like nitrogen oxide, ammonia, and sulfur dioxide, filters them out, releases clean oxygen, and traps these pollutants on their leaves and bark. While a tree won’t totally clean all the air around your house, it’s a great way to improve the air quality around your home.
Having trees in your yard also greatly reduces the risk of soil erosion, flash floods, and landslides, which can be crucial to maintaining your yard, depending on the type of land you live on. During heavy rains, a healthy tree’s roots can hold soil in place and prevent it from eroding. Large, healthy trees can also slow down winds and absorb water to reduce the chance of water run-off. If you live in a flood-prone area, it may actually be helpful to your home to have a few medium- to large-sized trees.
Increase Your Property Value
If you’re looking to sell your home or increase your property value, the benefits of trees are very significant; thus, a healthy tree can add to your property value. The USDA Forest Service says that trees increase property value by around 10 percent. In fact, buyers may be willing to pay more for property with trees than for one without. This is because of both the aesthetic value trees provide as well as their benefits, including those mentioned above.
With proper care and maintenance, trees serve a way greater purpose than beautification of your garden. They help keep your home cool, reduce the risk of soil erosion and damage during the rainy season, and can increase your property value when maintained properly.