DIY Network

Landscaping: Made In the Shade From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-209

In the final segment of "Landscaping" host Jeff Wilson takes a look at landscaping as a way to maximize the comfort and efficiencies on the inside of your house.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Landscaping may be your best long-term investment for reducing your heating and cooling costs. If done right, there are some cool benefits to a good plan. For example, carefully positioned trees (figure A) can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 25 percent.

Another advantage of a well-designed landscape is how it controls air and noise pollution. A good design works in conjunction with your home's position to keep out the sun in the summer and the cold in the winter.

In the summer it's all about creating shade, and the idea is just to keep the sun out because when the sun is on the inside of the house, beating through a big window, it really does raise the temperature of the room.

Note: If your home has an air-conditioning unit, you should be aware that shading that unit can increase it's efficiency by 10 to 15 percent.

In the winter cold winds or snow can be controlled or minimized by strategic plant and tree placement. Trees and fences can all be used to shield your home form wind, and windbreaks positioned on the north, west and east side of the home (figure B) can cut fuel consumption cost for heating your home up to 40 percent.

Trees can provide a great windbreak -- especially over man-made structures when it comes to blocking out harsh winds.

In addition to windbreaks that are placed further away from your home, planting low shrubs near your home (figure C) creates dead air space that provides additional insulation.

DIY Constructive Advice: If you live in an area where you tend to get a lot of snow drifts, what you'll need to do is to plant low-growing shrubs on the windward side of your house. What this does is catch and "trap" the blowing snow before it can reach your house.

So when planning your landscape, keep in mind that if you maximize the use of your vegetation it can save a lot of money on your energy costs.

In the next episode of Blueprint for Home Building, find out about indoor and outdoor extras for your new home.

GUESTS :

Greg Allen
Site Supervisor
Hendolhurst Homes
955 Markman Park Rd.
Baden, PA 15005
Phone: 724-935-5658
Fax: 724-935-0884
E-mail: buildm@zoominternet.net
Website: hendolhursthomes.com

Lynn Underwood
Homeowner
3001 E. Wiley Lane
Vail, AZ 85641
E-mail: whiskey5alpha@yahoo.com

Elizabeth Shanahan
President
FC Construction, Inc.
PO Box TT
Newport Beach, CA 92662
Phone: 714-412-6180
E-mail: FCConstruction@earthlink.net

Regina Zernay
CMTS, Inc.
Phone: 310-390-9558

John Owens
Consultant
1265 South Camino Santiago Drive
Pueblo West, CO 81007

Stanton and Terry Saucier
E-mail: saucier1@pacbell.net

Andy Beasly
PO Box 214
Hillside, CO 81232

Niki Furstman
Homeowner
3332 N. Grand Ave.
Claremont, CA 91711

Jody Cukier Seigler
Interior Designer
951 North Bristol Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Phone: 310-476-1286
E-mail: jodycs@yahoo.com

Igor Orlovsky
Contracting Consultant
E-mail: heyigor@sbcglobal.net