Aug 25, 2015

1.) Noise Reduction:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency found that planting trees outside your home can reduce noise by up to 50%, and it can also mask the sounds of unwanted noises (cars, neighbors, etc.) with pleasant sounds, like singing birds or the rustling of the leaves in the wind.

2.) Certain types of landscaping can make your home more energy efficient

Those beautiful trees aren't only hiding the sounds of traffic. They also shade your home and can reduce the need for air conditioning. A solid landscaping design featuring shade trees can decrease the need for AC by up to 50%, according to the American Public Power Association. Plants in general can lower your heating and cooling costs by up to 20% on average so long as those plants are placed properly by expert landscape contractors.

3.) Hardscaping presents another benefit of calling up your local landscaping companies
Landscaping doesn't just have to be limited to planting trees and shrubs or spreading some mulch. It can actually change the entire look of your home through a practice known as hardscaping. What is hardscaping? This includes the additions of concrete patios and outdoor walkways, among other features, to alter the look of the home. Hardscape lighting is also beneficial by adding both a dramatic touch and some safety to your home.

4.)  Reducing Summer Cooling Costs:

• A well-positioned tree can save up to 25 percent of your home's energy for heating and cooling.
• A tree-shaded yard can be up to 6 degrees cooler than a sunny yard. A shaded lawn can be up to 25 degrees cooler than sunny pavement.
• Shading your home's roof can increase your air conditioner's energy efficiency by more than 10 percent.
• A single shade tree equals the cooling power of 15 air conditioners -- and it runs for free!
• Three house-shading trees can cut your cooling bill by as much as half.

Build a pergola or ramada (a shade shelter open on three sides), awning, or other shade-giving structure on the west side of your house. It's an attractive way to filter light during the hottest part of the day. An open structure, such as a vine-covered pergola, is ideal as it allows cool breezes through and doesn't trap heat.
Check out our pergola ideas.

2. Position porches, decks, and patios on the east side of your home. They'll become an ideal gathering spot because of their early morning warmth. And they won't be sauna-like during the late-day heat. A shade tree will keep the area even cooler.
3. Think about your groundcovers. Light-colored stone or granite mulch and concrete will reflect more heat, making things hotter. Darker stone and wood chips will absorb the heat. A lawn or expanse of ground cover plants is the most cooling of all, but may require lots of water.
Discover easy-to-grow groundcover plants.
4. Place trees where they'll shield your windows, especially those on the south and west sides, from direct sun. Deciduous trees are a great option as they block sun during hot weather but allow sunlight to filter through during cooler weather once their branches are bare.
5. Funnel breezes through your property. Plant a row of trees on one side of the house and a wall on the other side of the house, to create a wind tunnel, for example. This will encourage stronger cooling breezes through the property and around the house.
6. A water feature is cooling both physically and psychologically. A large pond upwind will noticeably cool the air of your whole landscape. A small pond or fountain can cool a smaller area.
See our collection of water garden ideas!
7. Plant a cluster of trees to act as a low-tech air conditioner for the entire property, creating a cool zone which breezes can then distribute throughout the property and around the house.

 5. Landscaping is actually good for your yard:

You can tell when your lawn isn't at its best. If the grass is yellowed or dry, then it can get damaged even if you simply walk on it. A landscaping designer will know how to best apply fertilizers and other treatments to keep your lawn looking green. Typically, for instance, a lawn needs about three to four pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, so landscapers can apply this treatment and others during the growing season.

Pearl remodeling can meet all of your remodeling or landscaping ideas! Dont forget- you dream it, we build it. Contact us today for your free in home consultation!