Landscaping can play a major role in your Longview, Texas, home’s efficiency. Learning how landscaping affects your home’s efficiency can help you plan new projects or complete minor revisions to reduce energy use. Here are three of the most common ways landscaping can impact your home’s efficiency:

Shade

Shade can play a surprisingly large factor in your home’s efficiency levels, especially since Longview regularly experiences dramatic seasonal differences. During the summer, shade can help your climate control system keep up with the demand placed on it. It helps keep the air around the outdoor unit cooler and reduces the amount of heat that’s lost through the walls and roof.

Even if you don’t have complete cover, shade of any kind can be useful. Your home’s energy efficiency will significantly increase if you include plants in your landscape design that provide shade.

Sunlight

Sunlight is also an important consideration for homeowners looking to re-landscape their yards. During the winter months, sunlight can help keep your house warm by providing extra heat through your walls, windows and roof. Figuring out a way to get both decent sunlight and shade can be tricky. Choose trees and other shade-providing plants that drop their foliage during the winter months will help facilitate both factors.

Debris

Landscaping typically includes plant debris. This debris can include everything from leaves and mulch to branches and bark. Debris can cause issues with your climate control system by blocking off the vents or jamming your exterior unit.

Make sure you keep the area around your unit clear of any sort of clutter. Also, keep pollen-producing plants away from the intake vents. While landscaping can be useful in improving your home’s efficiency, you need to carefully plan to avoid creating larger problems.

If you’ve noticed that your home’s efficiency is lower than you’d like, give JD’s AirNow a call at (903) 759-7483 to set up a consultation today.

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