Newmarket Tree Care Arborist Discusses Energy Conserving Tree Placement
Trees are natural air conditioners in the summer. Their leaves provide much-needed shade on a hot day, and cool the surrounding air through moisture evaporation. In the winter, they block cold winds and reduce wind chill. Through their proper placement on your property, both of these seasonal effects will reduce the energy costs of air conditioning and heating your home.
Summer
Deciduous trees, which drop their leaves in the fall, provide shade during the summer and allow sunlight through their bare limbs in the winter. Plant these trees on the east and west sides of your home to shade it while the sun is rising in the AM hours and dropping lower in the sky in the PM hours.
Because the sun is fairly high in the sky during the noonish hours, the branches of trees planted on the south side of your home would have to extend over your roof to provide shade. This is not recommended because strong winds and ice storms can knock branches on to your roof. While roots can cause trouble with sewer lines and your home\’s foundation. Space trees from your house at a distance that\’s the same or somewhat less than their mature heights.
Shading asphalt areas will prevent sunlight from heating their surfaces and the surrounding air. In addition, your air conditioning system will use less energy if its external unit is shaded. Make sure that foliage does not interfere with its operation.
Winter
Cold winter wind strips away heat from your home through the process of convection. You can reduce this by planting evergreen trees on the windward sides of your home to act as wind barriers. The direction of these winds can vary depending on local effects, but winds generally come from the north, northwest, and west. Choose evergreens with branches that go to the ground and space them so that their crowns meet after a few years of growth. Because the wind barrier effect extends ten to twenty times the trees\’ height, they need not be placed close to your house.
Finally, don\’t plant trees where their roots can affect underground infrastructure or your sidewalks, patio, and driveway. Avoid planting trees near power lines.
Get in touch with a Newmarket tree care arborist for answers to your questions about proper tree care. You can follow along on Facebook and Instagram, or you can contact us here if you have any questions.
