Value of Trees to a Community and Reduce Heating and Air Conditioning Cost

Trees can add value to your home. Use trees to help cool homes and neighborhoods, to break the cold winds and to lower your heating costs. Trees provide food for wildlife making the neighborhoods a park like setting. Statistics show that the net cooling effect of a young healthy tree is equivalent to ten-room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

According to the American Public Association; landscaping that shades windows and walls of a home can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 50%. Energy bills can be reduced by planting a tree today on the west side of your home and in 5 years energy bills should be 3% less and in 15 years the savings will be nearly 12%. When trees are properly placed around buildings the air conditioning needs can be reduced by 30% and can save 20-50% in energy used for heating. Home marketability and property value increases whenever there is landscaping with mature trees. Mature trees has appraised value between $1,000 and $10,000. Economic development attracting new business and tourism are stimulated when trees are in the surroundings as commercial retail areas are more attractive to shoppers, apartments rent more quickly and tenants stay longer. Wooded-setting space is more valuable to sell or rent. The planting of trees means improved water quality resulting in less run-off and erosion which allows more recharging of the ground water supply.

Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams. Visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress as indicated in monitoring blood pressure and muscle tension. Healthy community forest begins with careful planning. The Department of Agriculture reported that one acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people. There are about 60 to 200 million spaces along city streets where trees could be planted with the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of carbon dioxide every year and saving $4 billion in energy costs. Nationally, each of the 60 million street trees have an average value of $525.

With a little research and a simple layout, you can produce a landscape that will cool your home in summer and tame the winter winds. A well-planned yard will contain trees that grow well in the soil and moisture of your neighborhood increasing the property value. Remember that trees should be properly placed to avoid collisions with power lines and buildings.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2003649