Introduction
Trees have a lot of benefits to offer for the environment. They clean the air, reduce carbon from the atmosphere and keep humanity one step away from imminent doom. However, trees can also bring plenty of benefits to your home. You can plant new trees on your property or search for “tree service near me” and hire professionals to do it for you. Let’s check out some benefits of planting trees on your property:
The Benefits
- They increase your home’s energy efficiency – According to the USDA Forest Service, strategically planting trees around your property can bring down your energy costs and make your home more energy-efficient. For instance, it can bring down air conditioning costs by as much as 30 percent and bring down heating costs by as much as 20 to 50 percent. Properly placed trees can save you as much as $100 to $300 every year in energy savings.
Planting trees provides ample shade that keeps your home and your property cool. When ambient temperatures are cooler, your air conditioning has an easier time and uses less power to cool your home. Similarly, trees also provide windbreaks which help a lot during the winter season. Your home encounters fewer wind drafts and that keeps it warmer. There won’t be any shade in the winter season either if you plant deciduous trees. That means the sun can warm up your home.
Your appliances don’t just use less power, but also are less stressed since the shade and windbreak from trees share a portion of their burden. That’s why the components inside your air conditioner, heater, or HVAC system last longer. That saves you a lot of money on repair and service costs.
- They increase the value of your home – Apart from the energy savings trees also add a lot of value to your home. While you need to spend a bit of money during the initial years providing the soil with nutrients and the occasional tree service, you don’t need to spend much once it matures. Even the cost of planting new trees is minuscule compared to the profit you can make from selling your home once the tree matures.
Let’s do some math. To plant 7 feet deciduous trees around your property, you’ll spend at most $100 for each. If you decide to plant taller 15 feet trees, it’ll cost you around $200 at most. If you take things into your own hands, you can save a lot of cash. For instance, you can get saplings for just around $20 or less from the Arbor Day Foundation if you’re a member. Let’s say you spend around $100 each year growing and maintaining the tree for 10 years till it matures.
That would bring your total cost to around $1000 for each tree. Now let’s see how you profit. The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service in Indiana estimates that a 15 feet wide silver maple tree in good condition can add over $2500 to your property value. If it’s a more mature and healthier tree, it adds even more value. In Portland, trees add an average of around $9000 to the home’s selling price. Even if you plant trees just for financial gain, you profit immensely.
- They keep your backyard cool – A tree with thick foliage and a decent spread can provide a lot of shade for your home as well as your backyard. This blocks the harsh sun and keeps your backyard cool. Moreover, trees also absorb water through the roots and evaporate it through tiny pores on the leaves. Also known as evapotranspiration, it helps the trees to regulate their temperature and stay cool.
This process also benefits the surroundings. Evapotranspiration can reduce summer temperatures by as much as 10 degrees and keep your backyard cooler. It creates a pleasant microclimate around your home that beats the summer heat and makes barbecues more enjoyable. The shade also protects you and your family from the harsh ultraviolet rays.
- They provide a home to the local wildlife – While cities and suburbs increase in scale and size, it pushes local wildlife away. Even a single tree on your property can attract a lot of wildlife and give them home and nourishment while you get to look at feathered and furry friends. It’s best to plant local trees since they aren’t just resilient to the local soil and weather conditions but are also familiar ground for local wildlife.
For instance, if you plant local trees like yew, silver birch, alder, ash, or beech they can become a nesting place for both birds and squirrels. If you want to attract fruit bats, you can plant willow trees. If you want a wide range of wildlife and make a mini and diverse habitat, try planting various types of local trees to attract different wild critters.
- They boost your mental health – You may have a lot of green space in the form of bushes and a large green patch of grass. However, no green space has a more positive impact on your mental health than trees with large canopies. Research shows that people who are exposed to areas with good canopy cover experience less psychological stress than their peers. Even during the wintertime when deciduous trees don’t have any leaves on them, they bring plenty of psychological benefits.
Trees are known to reduce anger and anxiety in humans. Moreover, being close to forests has been linked to amygdala integrity which means clusters of trees can improve your ability to handle stress. Trees also reduce urban noise pollution by providing windbreaks and creating a quieter and more peaceful environment around your home. All of these factors contribute to better mental health.
Conclusion
As you can see trees can bring down your overall energy cost, provide a better environment for your kids and also increase your property value. So, get your hands in the dirt and plant some trees or search for “tree service near me” and hire a reputable company to do it for you.